David Hume is a humanist. He doesn’t believe in any God. For David Hume, as it is for many people, the problem of evil is so big that they reject God and the possible existence of a God altogether. To support his argument David Hume put forward the inconsistent triad. This three things (triad) which do not go together – not all of them can be true at the same time (inconsistant)
If God is OMNIPOTENT (all powerful) and BENEVOLENT (all loving) He would love us and have the power to stop evil and suffering. But as evil and suffering exists he either is not powerful enough to stop it or he doesn’t love us. Therefore God cannot be BENEVOLENT, OMNIPOTENT while evil and suffering exists within the world.
David Hume specifically uses this to argue against Natural Evil.
MORAL EVIL – This is suffering which is the result of human action. Examples are theft, burglary, terrorism, assault and murder
NATURAL EVIL – This is suffering shich is not to do with human actions, but with the way the world is. Examples are floods, volcanoes, cancer, disease and earthquakes.
Traditionally it is a lot easier to explain MORAL EVIL as it is a result of bad human choices. It removes the blame from God.
NATURAL EVIL is more difficult to explain. One explanation offered is the general laws argument: scientific observation means that there must be natural laws in operation. These laws describe inate processes and stresses such as, for example, stresses on the earth’s crust causing earthquakes.
The problem here is if God designed the world he designed it with these natural laws that cause suffering. Why?
Did he not love us?
Does he not have the power to stop these disasters?
David Hume would argue it is because God does not exist.
RED ZONE
Describe David Hume’s response to The Problem of Evil
Explain the concept of the Inconsistent Triad
‘The Inconsistent Triad proves that God does not exist’ Provide one religious and one non religious response to this statement.
‘The Inconsistent Triad proves that natural evil is caused by God’ Discuss this statement including arguments for and against.
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