will of man‚ and the Origin of Evil"). Theodicy‚ as defined by Webster’s Dictionary‚ is a “defense of God’s goodness and omnipotence in view of the existence of evil.” David Hume‚ in his Dialogues concerning Natural Religion‚ quotes Epicurus‚ a Greek philosopher‚ as saying the following: “Is [God] willing to prevent evil‚ but not able? Then he is impotent. Is he able‚ but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil? Is he neither able nor willing
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reason is the Problem of Evil a problem for religious believers? (9) Probably the most powerful reason against the existence of The Classical God of Theism (hereafter referred to as God) is evil and suffering in the world. The problem of evil is an ‘a posterori’ argument‚ established from experience based on empirical senses. It is also synthetic as evil and suffering can be seen around us daily. There are a number of possible reasons for the problem of evil and why it causes a problem for religious
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Boethius’ View on Mortal Goods In The Consolation of Philosophy‚ the topic of human happiness is approached from the viewpoint of the early Christian writer Boethius. In his work‚ he constructs a narrative which imagines a Lady Philosophy incarnate come to help him rediscover what he has lost sight of – ultimate human purpose and how to achieve this. Boethius the author speaks to us through this character of Lady Philosophy‚ rather than his own stand-in in the proses and poems which make up the book
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on the subject of true happiness and how such a state of mind can be obtained. Two such works‚ Boethius’ The Consolation of Philosophy and St. Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica‚ although written over seven hundred years apart‚ posit the Christian notion of God as an integral part of human happiness. Differences between the two philosophies come to light when one compares the Platonic ideals of Boethius to the Aristotelian basis of Aquinas’ thoughts. However‚ although both works are excellent examples
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That Evil The problem of evil is an issue that is entirely too overlooked and dismissed by most Christians. I believe that it is a valid argument to renounce some views that traditional theism sets forward. This problem makes the existence of a traditional God extremely unlikely‚ and it makes a belief in one‚ irrational at best. The existence of evil is in juxtaposition with the idea of a Christian‚ omnipotent and wholly good God. Valid concerns may be raised that the problem of evil should
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God’s Foreknowledge and the Problem of Evil: A proposal RG Heather (MA PT‚ 24689726) Introduction In his essay[1] on the possibility of God’s having middle knowledge of the actions of free agents and the relationship of that knowledge‚ if it exists‚ to the problem of evil‚[2] RM Adams discusses two questions: firstly‚ whether middle knowledge is possible‚ even for God‚ and secondly‚ whether God could have made free creatures who would always freely do right. These questions highlight the
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Philosophy argues. The protagonist takes the form of Anicius Manlius Severinus Boethius‚ who is also the author. In fact‚ the setting and events throughout the story pertain to himself‚ in the real world‚ as well as to the protagonist. But it seems that in Book II‚ Lady Philosophy has taken up the task of “diagnosing” Boethius‚ and trying to help him come to terms with what has happened to him. Her work is not to simply cheer up Boethius‚ but mainly to make him understand that his current state is not actually
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During the Romantic Era‚ Mary Shelly was inspired by several authors‚ such as Samuel Taylor Coleridge and John Milton‚ to write her very first novel‚ Frankenstein. In her novel‚ Mary Shelly incorporated the idea that nature is beautiful in many ways. Men were supposed to find peace‚ joy‚ and love in it rather than fear and misery. One of her main characters was a monster who was referred to as the devil‚ and who was created by Victor Frankenstein. The devil is made up of one hundred percent of various
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Boethius’ main concern was in showing that god rewards and punishes justly. In order for Boethius to successfully address this concern and answer it convincingly‚ he must explain the problem of evil and suffering in our world‚ as well as explain how God can exist with his specific attributes and still allow for us to have free will. Such issues raise three important questions relating to; time and where God is within it‚ the two kinds of necessity and God’s divine foreknowledge. On analysis of these
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evaluate The Problem of Evil: Against the Existence of God. I believe that the following argument is unsound because there is a premise missing. If the addition of this premise was present‚ I believe that the structure of the argument from premise 3 and down would change. This change would allow the argument to be both valid and sound. I feel as though it is missing the point where humans were given free will. In doing so‚ humans would be allowed to choose between doing good or doing evil. Therefore
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