Skip to content
Carmelics
TopicsThinkersChangesContributorsLoading account…

    Carmelics

    A reasoning platform. Break down any belief into clear reasons, explore both sides, and weigh the evidence honestly.

    Navigate

    • Topics
    • Search
    • Recent Changes
    • Contribute
    • How It Works
    • Glossary
    • Thinkers
    • Contributors
    • About
    • Statistics
    • Terms
    • Privacy

    Database

    Statements
    —
    Perspectives
    —
    Topics
    —

    Press ? for keyboard shortcuts

    LoyalLoyalJusticeJustice
    Made withinDC&Austin
    Statements
    321,452
    Perspectives
    108,905
    Topics
    42
    Home/Original/inverse
    See Original
    Inverse View

    It is not the case that God's allowing natural evils is justified.

    ?Set your confidence on the premises below to see your aggregate.

    Reasons For

    2 perspectives
    Reason for 1 of 2
    ?
    • 1.An omnipotent God could sustain regular natural laws while miraculously preventing specific instances of catastrophic suffering without disrupting the broader causal order.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.The argument from natural law regularity only justifies the existence of natural evil in general, not the existence of gratuitous suffering like the slow death of innocent animals or childhood cancer.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.If God routinely intervened to prevent only the most extreme natural evils, the resulting world would still exhibit sufficient regularity for rational agency, as Mackie and Flew argued.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reason for 2 of 2
    ?
    • 1.Hick's soul-making theodicy presupposes that moral and spiritual development requires exposure to natural suffering, but empirical evidence shows extreme suffering more often destroys character than builds it.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.A perfectly good God possessing omniscience would have access to alternative means of producing virtuous souls that do not involve the scale of suffering caused by tsunamis, plagues, and earthquakes.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.It is important that events in the world take place in a regular way, since otherwise effective action would be impossible.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Events will exhibit regular patterns only if they are governed by natural laws.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.If events are governed by natural laws, the operation of those laws will give rise to events that harm individuals.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Next step

    Based on where you are in your exploration

    Strongest counterpoint
    Explore the most compelling reason on the other side.