Descartes

A detailed Summary of Descartes

The challenge facing theologians is the problem of evil that questions the existence of an all-good, omnipotent God when evil co-exists. The theologians suggest solutions as to the co-existence of an all-powerful, all-supreme God and evil, which seems to contradict everything that God promotes. In this essay I will first discuss the theological problem of evil and the significance of human free will on the problem. Finally I will present the arguments of J.L. Mackie against the solutions of the theologians in his essay "Evil and Omnipotence" that state that evil cannot co-exist with an omnipotent, all-good God.

The problem of evil challenges the popular idea that God is all- powerful and all- good and yet still logically co-exists with evil. An all-good God would not create a world with evil because it would contradict his or her position of goodness to create a world where evil exists. In addition, if he or she had desired to create a world all good and failed the idea of his or her omnipotence or supreme power would be destroyed. The problem then is how can the world be controlled by an all-good, supreme God if it seems evil is either out of his or her control or created by him or her. Critics most commonly offer the free-

In "Evil and Omnipotence" J.L. Mackie attacks the idea that God exists by showing the weaknesses of possible solutions of the theologians to the problem of evil. His most influential arguments, which he discusses when referring to the argument of free will, involve the Paradox of Omnipotence and the relationship between the omnipotence and benevolence of God. One possible solution to the problem of evil is that good cannot exist without evil or that is a necessary counterpart to good. There are two possible problems to this solution as it challenges both the omnipotence and goodness of God. If good cannot exist without evil then is supposed that God could not create good without evil, and therefore does not have omnipotence, or in the least has a limit upon his or her omnipotence. The idea that omnipotence pertains only to circumstances that are logically possible is a theological reply to Mackie's criticism, yet it does yield consistency among the other beliefs of some theologians that God created logic. God would not create something that he or she would be bound to, as it would limit his or her powers. Mackie continues to challenge theologians in his second objection to accept the conclusion that evil exists, but only just enough to serve as an contrasting opponent of good. If evil was merely needed to compare to good, then the smallest amount of evil would be sufficient as a counterpart to good. Mackie argues that many theologians are not willing to accept that evil rarely occurs, as it obviously does, and therefore cannot accept the solution that evil is necessary only as a counterpart to good. The second solution that Mackie criticizes is the argument that evil is necessary as a means to good. This solution also limits the powers of God by stating that God could not create good without being subject to a more powerful causal law that states that one cannot have a certain end without a certain means. In addition to the challenge of omnipotence, Mackie presents the contradiction on the argument that God created everything including causal laws. If God had to follow the causal laws, he or she must not have created them as they existed before him. If God did not create the laws and if in order for him or her to be good there must be a co-existing evil then it could be supposed that there was a pre-existing evil. The third solution that Mackie presents problems to is the argument that the universe is better with some evil in it than it would be if there was no evil. An example of the argument is that the existence of pain and disease makes possible the existence of sympathy, heroism, etc. To explain the problem he had with the solution Mackie separated evil and good into two main categories: first order evil and good, and second order evil and good. First order evil applies to such emotions as pain and misery, while first evil good applies to the contrasting emotions such as pleasure and happiness. Second order evil applies to the evil actions such as murder that generate the f

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Approximate Word count = 2024
Approximate Pages = 8 (250 words per page double spaced)

Category: History