Why does God allow evil? The Character Building Defense argues that it is because we become better people for it. Is it worth the suffering to build character?
NOTES
The Problem of Evil
- 1. If God exists, He could prevent evil
- S1: all-powerful & all-knowing
- 2. If God exists, He would prevent evil
- S1: all-good
- So, 3. If God exists, evil doesn’t exist
- 4. Evil exists
- So, 5. God doesn’t exist
The Character Building Defense
- God allows suffering because it makes us better people
- O1: the character isn’t worth the suffering
- R1: God allows little evils b/c it preps us for big evils
- O1: why allow any evil?
- R2: Possibly we can’t be happy w/o high character
- P1: there is a necessary connection between character and happiness
- E.g., cowardice lends itself to the suffering of fear
- P2: it’s just the way we should be
- P1: there is a necessary connection between character and happiness
- R3: possibly it’s just a good thing to have strong character
- S1: stories we read don’t feature someone who’s never had any evil happen and are cowards
- O1: this is just comfort to get us through our current suffering
- R1: we’re still looking forward to that thing we think will be worth it
- O1: this is just comfort to get us through our current suffering
- S2: people who have the character built up wouldn’t give it up to avoid the evil
- S1: stories we read don’t feature someone who’s never had any evil happen and are cowards
- R1: God allows little evils b/c it preps us for big evils
- O2: God could have made us with high character already built in
- R1: it’s good that we have something to do with our own character building
- O3: not all evil is character building
- S1: when someone dies
- S2: when someone doesn’t react in a way that builds character
- S3: animal suffering?
- R1: partial response succeeds
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