So, regarding the omnibenevolence—again, we first need to clarify what means “good” and “evil”. So, first we need to get, if we have the same understanding of this, otherwise it is the argument about definitions. I am not sure if it is possible to give a precise definition, but let me ask few question to see if we have the same answer to them or we understand it differently.
1) Is “good” only utilitarian (i.e. for some higher purpose—then which one?) or deontological (i.e., there are some good things that are good by default. It is good to bring some joy to the life of the old person even if he is totally useless and senile—like that).
2) Is good only result or there can be some goodness in the process? Is there any goodness in striving and gaining, playing hard game and winning—or only final result is important?
Regarding no need of this hypothesis—somewhere below there is a thread where we argue about miracles.
What if we use a specific example of evil, in lieu of hashing out a complex definition that we can all accept.
Let’s use one provided by the church itself and still preached from thousands of pulpits today, which cannot reasonably be divorced from the question of God.
Let’s use Hell.
Without getting too deeply into the weeds, Hell is at least one of:
What happens to evil people when they die
An evil (and, I might add, eternal) thing that happens to some people when they die
A… let’s go with “place” here for simplicity’s sake, where evil resides
Either omnipotent God can stop this and yet allows it to continue, or omnibenevolent God is powerless to stop it.
I don’t think we need a definition of evil at all. If we take omnipotence to be “able to do literally anything” and rephrase omnibenevolence to be “unable to abide evil” the meaning doesn’t change but the paradox becomes evident. The two qualities are mutually exclusive regardless of your definition of “evil”.
So, regarding the omnibenevolence—again, we first need to clarify what means “good” and “evil”. So, first we need to get, if we have the same understanding of this, otherwise it is the argument about definitions. I am not sure if it is possible to give a precise definition, but let me ask few question to see if we have the same answer to them or we understand it differently.
1) Is “good” only utilitarian (i.e. for some higher purpose—then which one?) or deontological (i.e., there are some good things that are good by default. It is good to bring some joy to the life of the old person even if he is totally useless and senile—like that).
2) Is good only result or there can be some goodness in the process? Is there any goodness in striving and gaining, playing hard game and winning—or only final result is important?
Regarding no need of this hypothesis—somewhere below there is a thread where we argue about miracles.
What if we use a specific example of evil, in lieu of hashing out a complex definition that we can all accept.
Let’s use one provided by the church itself and still preached from thousands of pulpits today, which cannot reasonably be divorced from the question of God.
Let’s use Hell.
Without getting too deeply into the weeds, Hell is at least one of:
What happens to evil people when they die
An evil (and, I might add, eternal) thing that happens to some people when they die
A… let’s go with “place” here for simplicity’s sake, where evil resides
Either omnipotent God can stop this and yet allows it to continue, or omnibenevolent God is powerless to stop it.
I don’t think we need a definition of evil at all. If we take omnipotence to be “able to do literally anything” and rephrase omnibenevolence to be “unable to abide evil” the meaning doesn’t change but the paradox becomes evident. The two qualities are mutually exclusive regardless of your definition of “evil”.