The Evidential Argument from EvilIs evil evidence against the existence of God? A collection of essays by philosophers, theologians, and other scholars. Even if God and evil are compatible, it remains hotly contested whether evil renders belief in God unreasonable. The Evidential Argument from Evil presents five classic statements on this issue by eminent philosophers and theologians, and places them in dialogue with eleven original essays reflecting new thinking by these and other scholars. The volume focuses on two versions of the argument. The first affirms that there is no reason for God to permit either certain specific horrors or the variety and profusion of undeserved suffering. The second asserts that pleasure and pain, given their biological role, are better explained by hypotheses other than theism. Contributors include William P. Alston, Paul Draper, Richard M. Gale, Daniel Howard-Snyder, Alvin Plantinga, William L. Rowe, Bruce Russell, Eleonore Stump, Richard G. Swinburne, Peter van Inwagen, and Stephen John Wykstra. |
Contents
| 1 | |
An Evidential Problem for Theists | 12 |
3 Some Major Strands of Theodicy | 30 |
4 Aquinas on the Sufferings of Job | 49 |
5 Epistemic Probability and Evil | 69 |
6 The Inductive Argument from Evil and the Human Cognitive Condition | 97 |
7 Rowes Noseeum Arguments from Evil | 126 |
8 The Problem of Evil the Problem of Air and the Problem of Silence | 151 |
11 Some Difficulties in Theistic Treatments of Evil | 206 |
12 Reflections on the Chapters by Draper Russell and Gale | 219 |
13 On Being Evidentially Challenged | 244 |
A Second Look | 262 |
15 The Argument from Inscrutable Evil | 286 |
16 Some Temporarily Final Thoughts on Evidential Arguments from Evil | 311 |
BIBLIOGRAPHY | 333 |
CONTRIBUTORS | 351 |
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Common terms and phrases
actions Alston Alvin Plantinga Aquinas Aquinas's argue argument from evil atheologian Bambi Bayes's theorem biological Bruce Russell chapter claim cognitive CORNEA defense desire Draper E1 and E2 E1 or E2 entails epistemic probability epistemic situation evidence evidential argument example existence explain facie Faith and Philosophy false fawn's suffering given God's reasons greater horrific evil human hypothesis improbable inductive inference inscrutable evil intense suffering Inwagen Journal for Philosophy judgment justified in believing massively irregular ment modal moral natural noetism noseeum omnipotent omniscient P(O/theism pain and pleasure Paul Draper permitting E1 person Peter van Inwagen Philosophy of Religion Plantinga pointless evil possible worlds premise prevent probabilistic arguments Problem of Evil proposition question rational reason for permitting reason to believe reason to think relevant Rowe Rowe's skepticism someone sort sufficient reason suppose theism theistic story theodicy thesis things tion true William Alston Wykstra