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    Epicurus established that divine beings, by definition pe... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→The Gods direct all things for the use of men

    Epicurus established that divine beings, by definition perfectly self-sufficient, have no motivation to arrange the world for others' benefit.

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    1 reason for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
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    • 1.Self-sufficiency logically entails lack of need; beings without needs have no rational incentive to act for others' benefit.
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    • 2.If divine beings acted beneficently, they would depend on external goals or beings' welfare, contradicting their self-sufficiency.
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    • 3.Observable world suffering is consistent with indifferent divine beings but inconsistent with benevolent omnipotent ones.
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    Reasons Against

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    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.Self-sufficiency need not exclude voluntary action; humans are self-sufficient yet freely choose to benefit others.
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    • 2.Acting beneficently doesn't require dependence on others; a being can act from internal character rather than external need.
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    • 3.The argument equivocates between 'no motivation' and 'no capacity'; self-sufficient beings might have reasons independent of need.
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    Natural Theology1 linkedDivine Attributes1 linked

    Related

    Acting beneficently doesn't require dependence on others; a being can act from i...If divine beings acted beneficently, they would depend on external goals or bein...Observable world suffering is consistent with indifferent divine beings but inco...Self-sufficiency logically entails lack of need; beings without needs have no ra...
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    Self-sufficiency need not exclude voluntary action; humans are self-sufficient y...The Gods direct all things for the use of menThe argument equivocates between 'no motivation' and 'no capacity'; self-suffici...

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    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
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