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    Rowe's cumulative case holds that gratuitous suffering co... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→If one is defending a probabilistic version of the argument from evil, one needs to consider what sorts of positive reasons might be offered in support of the existence of God.

    Rowe's cumulative case holds that gratuitous suffering constitutes strong prima facie evidence against omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence taken conjunctively.

    ?Rate how convincing each reason is below to see the overall strength.
    1 reason for
    1 reason against

    Reasons For

    1 perspective
    Reason for
    ?
    • 1.An omnipotent, omniscient being could create a world with moral goods but without gratuitous suffering.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.Gratuitous suffering—suffering with no greater good justification—is empirically observable in nature and human experience.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.The conjunction of these facts makes theism less probable than atheism when evaluated cumulatively across many cases.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    Reasons Against

    1 perspective
    Reason against
    ?
    • 1.We cannot know God's purposes comprehensively, so we cannot definitively identify suffering as truly gratuitous rather than justified.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 2.The existence of any moral goods or consciousness requires some metaphysical framework; atheism doesn't solve why suffering exists.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

    • 3.A cumulative case requires comparing full worldviews, not isolated facts; theism offers explanations atheism cannot match.
      ?

      Think about whether this reason is strong or weak

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    Problem of Evil1 linked

    Related

    A cumulative case requires comparing full worldviews, not isolated facts; theism...An omnipotent, omniscient being could create a world with moral goods but withou...Gratuitous suffering—suffering with no greater good justification—is empirically...If one is defending a probabilistic version of the argument from evil, one needs...
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    The conjunction of these facts makes theism less probable than atheism when eval...The existence of any moral goods or consciousness requires some metaphysical fra...We cannot know God's purposes comprehensively, so we cannot definitively identif...

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    claim
    Perspectives
    2 (1 for, 1 against)
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    1 edit