Question: Briefly summarize Aquinas' Fifth Way of proving the existence of God. What counter-argument does Hume cite in answer to this argument from Design? What is John Hick's answer to Hume's argument from Evil? Is he right?

Thomas Aquinas theorized five different logical arguments to prove the existence of God utilizing scientific hypotheses and basic assumptions of nature. In the fifth of his famous "Five Ways", Aquinas sets forth the assumption that all natural bodies move toward an end. Since bodies are constantly moving in the best way possible to achieve that end, the path must be designed. God, of course, is the ultimate designer of the universe. The natural hypothesis that follows is that God created the universe, including the human race, for a purpose or to achieve an end, and thus the universe and all life moves toward that end constantly and in the best manner possible.

Later philosophers who studied Aquinas' fifth way realized that this theorem is plagued with a problem, the problem of evil. In David Hume's Design, through the art of conversation and Socratic debate, the two main characters in his essay set forth and decipher the problems of evil and ho

Hicks also pointed out that the very "good" things in our lives would either not exist or be less intense without the existence of evil. For example, without a devastating earthquake, there can be no charity, neighborly help, sympathy, endurance, courage and kindness. Without pain there can be no bravery or strength of heart. In short, the evils in our lives are effectively soulmaking events which create our character, our hearts, our passions and our souls. In a world without suffering, what would challenge the human spirit to rise to these levels of soulmaking?

John Hicks responded to Hume and the problem of evil by trying to imagine a world without evil. If no evil could occur the attempt to do evil would always be unsuccessful. In such a world all laws of science, logic and nature would have to be flexible to allow for the disappearance of evil. For example, a man drives in a car with a hostage off of a building. In a world without evil, the car and the people would land undamaged. Further, the reckless act itself would never have a bad outcome.

When I try to sum up my opinion as to the existence of God and the problem of evil, my mind keeps wandering to one example of human life, Christopher Reeves. He is a man who was blessed with looks, career success as an actor and celebrity, and a happy marriage. One day he becomes paralyzed from the neck down losing everything even the capacity to breath. If God sees this and can change his condition, why doesn't He? Has is made Reeves a better man or enriched his soul as Hicks would say? Surely Reeves' life is filled with unhappiness and suffering. Does one have to be aware that they are in the process of soulmaking? And is soulmaking

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