Evidential Arguments from Evil
摘要
In this chapter, I sketch a general account of evidential arguments from evil, and then briefly indicate what I take to be the significance of this account for discussions of animal suffering. I begin with characterisations of religion, evil, and theism. I then discuss connections between religion and evil, and theism and evil. Next, I characterise Abrahamic theism, and discuss connections between it and evil. Then I characterise worldviews, logical consistency, probabilistic consistency, explanatory consistency, data, and arguments from evil against Abrahamic worldviews. After a brief discussion of logical arguments from evil against Abrahamic worldviews, I turn to a critical discussion of evidential arguments from evil against Abrahamic worldviews. I round out the chapter with a brief discussion of animal suffering and its bearing on choice between naturalistic worldviews and Abrahamic worldviews.