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    The reference class of 'apparent evils' is theory-laden: ... — Carmelics
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    Challenges→One can derive a formula giving the probability that God does not exist relative to information about the number of apparent evils in the world.

    The reference class of 'apparent evils' is theory-laden: whether an event counts as evil depends on background moral and theological commitments that are themselves contested.

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    Reasons For

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    Reason for
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    • 1.Theodicies interpret suffering differently: free will defenses classify certain evils as necessary, while skeptical theists classify them as inscrutable.
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    • 2.Moral frameworks disagree on evil's scope: utilitarians focus on suffering quantity, deontologists on rights violations, virtue ethicists on character.
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    • 3.Historical shifts in what counts as evil (slavery, gender inequality) show moral categories reflect evolving commitments rather than objective facts.
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    Reasons Against

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    Reason against
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    • 1.Extreme suffering (torture, child death) is widely recognized as evil across moral and theological systems, suggesting core objectivity despite disagreement.
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    • 2.If evil classifications were purely theory-laden, rational debate about specific cases would be impossible; yet meaningful moral disagreement occurs.
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    • 3.Calling evil 'theory-laden' risks circularity: it presumes moral frameworks are arbitrary rather than tracking real features of harm and wrongness.
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    Problem of Evil1 linked

    Related

    Calling evil 'theory-laden' risks circularity: it presumes moral frameworks are ...Extreme suffering (torture, child death) is widely recognized as evil across mor...Historical shifts in what counts as evil (slavery, gender inequality) show moral...If evil classifications were purely theory-laden, rational debate about specific...
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    Moral frameworks disagree on evil's scope: utilitarians focus on suffering quant...One can derive a formula giving the probability that God does not exist relative...Theodicies interpret suffering differently: free will defenses classify certain ...

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    2 (1 for, 1 against)
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