Course Text: Doing Philosophy Chapter 6, “The Problem of Evil and the Existence

Course Text: Doing Philosophy
Chapter 6, “The Problem of Evil and the Existence of God”
Section 6.1, “The Mysterious Universe: God as Creator”
“Best-Explanation Design Arguments”
This section of Chapter 6 describes the varied explanations for the existence of God and the creation of the universe.
Section 6.2, “When Bad Things Happen to Good People: God as Troublemaker” This section of Chapter 6 discusses the different arguments justifying the existence of evil in God’s realm.
Respond to each item below in 2- to 3-paragraphs. USE ONLY THE TEXTBOOK AND YOUR OWN MIND. USING OUTSIDE RESOURCES WILL RESULT IN FAILURE OF THE ASSIGNMENT. USE YOUR OWN WORDS. Please repeat and number each question. Put your 2-3 paragraph answer below each question.
(1) Explain the best explanation design argument. How does the theory of evolution support or undermine a premise in the argument? Which one?
(2) What is intelligent design? What three objections are raised to it in the text? In your response, be sure to cite the thought probe “Human Design Flaws.”
(3) What is the argument for unnecessary evil? Cite an example of a seemingly unnecessary evil. How would theists justify a theory whose goal it is to show that evil (some or all of it) is unnecessary?
(4) Explain the free will defense. Name three objections to it.
(5) Do you think the responses to the argument from evil are successful? That is, do you think they successfully explain why an all-good, all-powerful, all-knowing God would allow so much evil ( = apparently unnecessary evil) that he/she could prevent? Or do think all the (apparently unnecessary suffering) is just the result of amoral laws of the universe which are indifferent to human (and animal) suffering?