PHILOSOPHY - Religion: The Problem of Evil [HD]

Summary

In this video, MIT philosophy professor Sally Haslanger discusses an argument in favor of atheism, focusing on the concept of an all-perfect (OOO) God, who is omniscient, omnipotent, and wholly good. Haslanger explains that if such a God existed, there would be no evil in the world. However, since evil clearly exists, this creates a contradiction for theists. She argues that belief in such a God despite evidence of evil leads to irrational theism, which is philosophically problematic. The video encourages critical examination of the coherence of theistic beliefs.

Takeaways

• 🎓 Sally Haslanger is a philosophy professor at MIT discussing atheism and theism.
• 🔍 Theism is defined as the belief in God's existence, while atheism is the belief in God's non-existence.
• 📚 Rational theism is the belief in God based on evidence, whereas arational theism is belief without evidence, often based on faith.
• 🤔 Irrational theism is the belief in God despite evidence supporting atheism, which is considered problematic.
• 🚫 Contradiction is defined as a set of beliefs that cannot all be true at the same time.
• 🐦 An example of contradiction is the belief that all birds can fly, penguins are birds, and penguins can't fly.
• 👎 Holding contradictory beliefs is undesirable because it can lead to false beliefs and hinder coherent action.
• 👀 The standard Western definition of God includes being all-knowing, all-powerful, and wholly good (OOO).
• 🌐 The argument presented suggests that if an OOO God existed, there would be no evil, leading to a contradiction with the existence of evil.
• ❌ The conclusion of the argument is that God, as defined by the OOO characteristics, does not exist because it contradicts the presence of evil.
• 🤨 The argument challenges theists to either deny the existence of evil or redefine their concept of God to avoid irrational theism.

Q & A

What is the definition of 'theism' provided in the video?

Theism is defined as the belief that God exists.

How does the video distinguish between 'rational theism' and 'arational theism'?

Rational theism is the belief in God based on evidence, while arational theism is belief in God without evidence, often based on faith.

What is 'irrational theism' according to the speaker?

Irrational theism is the belief in God despite strong evidential reasons supporting atheism, meaning it involves holding a belief that contradicts the available evidence.

Why is holding contradictory beliefs considered problematic?

Contradictory beliefs are problematic because one of them must be false, which can lead to false assumptions and incoherent actions, ultimately resulting in practical and logical difficulties.

What is the standard Western conception of God that is used in the argument?

The standard Western conception of God used in the argument is an all-knowing (omniscient), all-powerful (omnipotent), and wholly good (omnibenevolent) being, referred to as 'OOO'.

What is the primary premise of the argument against the existence of an OOO God?

The primary premise is that if an OOO God exists, there would be no evil, because such a God would know about evil, have the power to prevent it, and be motivated to do so due to being wholly good.

How does the existence of evil create a contradiction in the argument?

The existence of evil contradicts the assumption that an OOO God exists, as an all-knowing, all-powerful, and wholly good being would prevent evil. This leads to the conclusion that either God does not exist, or God is not OOO.

What are the two assumptions the argument relies on regarding an OOO God?

The two assumptions are: (1) a wholly good being always eliminates evil as far as it can, and (2) there are no limits to what an omnipotent being can do.

What are the two options available to a theist in response to the argument?

A theist must either deny the existence of evil, or give up one of the defining features of an OOO God (omniscience, omnipotence, or omnibenevolence).

What conclusion does the speaker draw about theism based on the argument presented?

The speaker concludes that atheism is the rational position because belief in an OOO God in the presence of evil leads to contradictions, making irrational theism an unacceptable form of theism.