God, Geography, and Justice
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.1558/eph.v23i2.28019Keywords:
Problem of Evil, Atheism, Theodicy, Skeptical TheismAbstract
The existence of various sufferings has long been thought to pose a problem for the existence of a personal God: the Problem of Evil (POE). In this paper, we propose an original version of POE, in which the geographic distribution of sufferings and of opportunities for flourishing or suffering is better explained if the universe, at bottom, is indifferent to the human condition than if, as theists propose, there is a personal God from whom the universe originates: the Problem of Geography (POG). POG moves beyond previous versions of POE because traditional responses to POE (skeptical theism and various theodicies) are less effective as responses to POG than they are to other versions of POE.
References
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———. 1996. “The Skeptical Theist.” In The Evidential Argument from Evil, edited by Daniel Howard-Snyder, 175–192. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
———. 2009. “The Problem of Evil.” In The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical Theology, edited by Thomas P. Flint and Michael Rea, 332–351. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199289202.003.0016
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Hudson, Hud. 2014. “The Father of Lies?” Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Religion, edited by Jonathan Kvanvig, 147–166. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198704768.003.0006
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———. 2006. The Problem of Evil. Oxford: Clarendon Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199245604.001.0001
Jones, W. 1998. Is God a White Racist? A Preamble to Black Theology. Boston, MA: Beacon Press Books.
Kittel, Charles, and Herbert Kroemer. 1980. Thermal Physics. 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: WH Freeman and Company.
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———. 2010. “The Evil-God Challenge.” Religious Studies 46(3): 353–373. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0034412509990369
Mann, D., J. Edwards, J. Chase, W. Beck, R. Reanier, M. Mass, B. Finney and J. Loret. 2008. “Drought, Vegetation Change, and Human History on Rapa Nui (Isla de Pascua, Easter Island).” Quarternary Research 69(1): 16–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2007.10.009
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McBrayer, Justin. 2010. “Skeptical Theism.” In The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N. Zalta. http://www.iep.utm.edu/skept-th/. Accessed 26 October, 2014.
McHugh, Christopher. 2002. “A Refutation of Drange’s Arguments from Evil and Nonbelief.” Philo 5(1): 94–102. http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/philo2002516
Murphy, Frank J. 2005. “Unknowable Worlds: Solving the Problem of Natural Evil.” Religious Studies 41(3): 343–346. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0034412505007651
Otte, Richard. 2004. “Probability and Draper’s Evidential Argument from Evil.” In Christian Faith and the Problem of Evil, edited by Peter van Inwagen, 26–40. Grand Rapids, MI: William B Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Piper, Mark. 2007. “Skeptical Theism and the Problem of Moral ‘Aporia’.” International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion 62(2): 65–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-007-9128-7
Rowe, William. 1979. “The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism.” American Philosophical Quarterly 16(4): 335–341.
———. 1984. “Evil and the Theistic Hypothesis: A Response to S.J. Wykstra.” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 16: 95–100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00136568
———. 1986. “The Empirical Argument from Evil”. In Rationality, Religious Belief and Moral Commitment, edited by Robert Audi & William Wainwright. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
———. 1988. “Evil and Theodicy.” Philosophical Topics 16: 119–132. http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/philtopics198816216
———. 1991. “Ruminations about Evil.” Philosophical Perspectives 5: 69–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2214091
———. 1996. “The Evidential Argument from Evil: A Second Look.” In The Evidential Argument from Evil, edited by Daniel Howard-Snyder. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Schoenig, Richard. 1999. “The Argument from Unfairness.” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 45(2): 115–128. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1003499118636
Sehon, Scott. 2010. “The Problem of Evil: Skeptical Theism Leads to Moral Paralysis.” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 67: 67–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-009-9213-1
Stanley, J., M. Krom, R. Cliff and J. Woodward. 2003. “Short Contribution: Nile Flow Failure at the End of the Old Kingdom, Egypt: Strontium Isotopic and Petrologic Evidence.” Geoarchaeology: An International Journal 18(3): 395–402. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/gea.10065
Shook, John. 2014. “Rationalist Atheology.” International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion 78(3): 329–348. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-014-9498-6
Swinburne, Richard. 1998. Providence and the Problem of Evil. Oxford: Clarendon Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/0198237987.001.0001
———. 2005. Faith and Reason. Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199283927.001.0001
Trakakis, Nick. 2005. “Is theism capable of accounting for any natural evil at all?” International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion 57(1): 33–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-004-5895-6
Wielenberg, Erik. 2010. “Skeptical theism and divine lies.” Religious Studies 46(4): 509–523. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0034412510000247
Wilks, Ian. 2013. “The Global Skepticism Objection to ST.” In The Blackwell Companion to the Problem of Evil, edited by Justin McBrayer and Daniel Howard-Snyder. Oxford: John Wiley & Sons.
Bergman, Michael. 2001. “Skeptical Theism and Rowe’s New Evidential Argument from Evil.” Noûs 35(2): 278–296. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/0029-4624.00297
Craig, William L. 2007. “Theistic Critiques of Atheism”. In The Cambridge Companion to Atheism, edited by Michael Martin, 69–85. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Dougherty, Trent. 2014. “Skeptical Theism”. In The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N. Zalta. http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2014/entries/skeptical-theism/. Accessed 26 October 2014.
Draper, Paul. 1989. “Pain and Pleasure: An Evidential Problem for Theists.” Noûs, 23(3): 331–350. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2215486
———. 1996. “The Skeptical Theist.” In The Evidential Argument from Evil, edited by Daniel Howard-Snyder, 175–192. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
———. 2009. “The Problem of Evil.” In The Oxford Handbook of Philosophical Theology, edited by Thomas P. Flint and Michael Rea, 332–351. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/oxfordhb/9780199289202.003.0016
Gosepath, Stefan. 2011. “Equality.” In The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N. Zalta. http://plato.stanford.edu/archives/spr2011/entries/equality/. Accessed 26 October 2014.
Hasker, William. 2010. “All Too Skeptical Theism”. International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 68: 15–29. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-010-9252-7
Hick, John. 1966. “Evil and Soul-Making.” In Evil and the God of Love. Harper & Rowe.
Hudson, Hud. 2014. “The Father of Lies?” Oxford Studies in Philosophy of Religion, edited by Jonathan Kvanvig, 147–166. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780198704768.003.0006
Hume, David. 1993. “Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion.” In Writings on Religion, edited by Antony Flew, 183–292. Open Court: La Salle.
Inwagen, Peter V. 1988. “The Magnitude, Duration, and Distribution of Evil: A Theodicy.” Philosophical Topics, 16(2): 161–187. http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/philtopics198816218
———. 2006. The Problem of Evil. Oxford: Clarendon Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199245604.001.0001
Jones, W. 1998. Is God a White Racist? A Preamble to Black Theology. Boston, MA: Beacon Press Books.
Kittel, Charles, and Herbert Kroemer. 1980. Thermal Physics. 2nd ed. San Francisco, CA: WH Freeman and Company.
Lloyd, Alan B. 2014. Ancient Egypt: State and Society. Oxford University Press: Oxford. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:osobl/9780199286188.001.0001
Law, Stephen. 2014. “Sceptical Theism and a Lying God – Wielenberg’s Argument Defended and Developed.” Religious Studies 1: 1–19.
———. 2010. “The Evil-God Challenge.” Religious Studies 46(3): 353–373. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0034412509990369
Mann, D., J. Edwards, J. Chase, W. Beck, R. Reanier, M. Mass, B. Finney and J. Loret. 2008. “Drought, Vegetation Change, and Human History on Rapa Nui (Isla de Pascua, Easter Island).” Quarternary Research 69(1): 16–28. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.yqres.2007.10.009
Mawson, T. J. 2005. Belief in God. Oxford University Press: Oxford.
Mackie, John. 1955. “Evil and Omnipotence.” Mind: New Series 64(254): 200–212. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/mind/LXIV.254.200
Martin, Michael. 1990. Atheism: A Philosophical Justification. Philadelphia, PA: Temple University Press.
McBrayer, Justin. 2010. “Skeptical Theism.” In The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy, edited by Edward N. Zalta. http://www.iep.utm.edu/skept-th/. Accessed 26 October, 2014.
McHugh, Christopher. 2002. “A Refutation of Drange’s Arguments from Evil and Nonbelief.” Philo 5(1): 94–102. http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/philo2002516
Murphy, Frank J. 2005. “Unknowable Worlds: Solving the Problem of Natural Evil.” Religious Studies 41(3): 343–346. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0034412505007651
Otte, Richard. 2004. “Probability and Draper’s Evidential Argument from Evil.” In Christian Faith and the Problem of Evil, edited by Peter van Inwagen, 26–40. Grand Rapids, MI: William B Eerdmans Publishing Co.
Piper, Mark. 2007. “Skeptical Theism and the Problem of Moral ‘Aporia’.” International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion 62(2): 65–79. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-007-9128-7
Rowe, William. 1979. “The Problem of Evil and Some Varieties of Atheism.” American Philosophical Quarterly 16(4): 335–341.
———. 1984. “Evil and the Theistic Hypothesis: A Response to S.J. Wykstra.” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 16: 95–100. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00136568
———. 1986. “The Empirical Argument from Evil”. In Rationality, Religious Belief and Moral Commitment, edited by Robert Audi & William Wainwright. Ithaca: Cornell University Press.
———. 1988. “Evil and Theodicy.” Philosophical Topics 16: 119–132. http://dx.doi.org/10.5840/philtopics198816216
———. 1991. “Ruminations about Evil.” Philosophical Perspectives 5: 69–88. http://dx.doi.org/10.2307/2214091
———. 1996. “The Evidential Argument from Evil: A Second Look.” In The Evidential Argument from Evil, edited by Daniel Howard-Snyder. Bloomington: Indiana University Press.
Schoenig, Richard. 1999. “The Argument from Unfairness.” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 45(2): 115–128. http://dx.doi.org/10.1023/A:1003499118636
Sehon, Scott. 2010. “The Problem of Evil: Skeptical Theism Leads to Moral Paralysis.” International Journal for Philosophy of Religion 67: 67–80. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-009-9213-1
Stanley, J., M. Krom, R. Cliff and J. Woodward. 2003. “Short Contribution: Nile Flow Failure at the End of the Old Kingdom, Egypt: Strontium Isotopic and Petrologic Evidence.” Geoarchaeology: An International Journal 18(3): 395–402. http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/gea.10065
Shook, John. 2014. “Rationalist Atheology.” International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion 78(3): 329–348. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-014-9498-6
Swinburne, Richard. 1998. Providence and the Problem of Evil. Oxford: Clarendon Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/0198237987.001.0001
———. 2005. Faith and Reason. Second Edition. Oxford: Oxford University Press. http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/acprof:oso/9780199283927.001.0001
Trakakis, Nick. 2005. “Is theism capable of accounting for any natural evil at all?” International Journal for the Philosophy of Religion 57(1): 33–66. http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11153-004-5895-6
Wielenberg, Erik. 2010. “Skeptical theism and divine lies.” Religious Studies 46(4): 509–523. http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S0034412510000247
Wilks, Ian. 2013. “The Global Skepticism Objection to ST.” In The Blackwell Companion to the Problem of Evil, edited by Justin McBrayer and Daniel Howard-Snyder. Oxford: John Wiley & Sons.
Published
2016-02-18
Issue
Section
Articles
How to Cite
Linford, D., & Patterson, W. (2016). God, Geography, and Justice. Essays in the Philosophy of Humanism, 23(2), 189-216. https://doi.org/10.1558/eph.v23i2.28019
