tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post1375153098242023262..comments2024-03-27T20:37:09.185-05:00Comments on Alexander Pruss's Blog: Augustine's view of evilAlexander R Prusshttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05989277655934827117noreply@blogger.comBlogger5125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-35958977235296296312010-09-01T07:35:16.729-05:002010-09-01T07:35:16.729-05:00I am imagining that Sam* is a humanoid creature, e...I am imagining that Sam* is a humanoid creature, except its teleology is different: its not normal for it to see. We could imagine a new hominid species that was adapted to living in complete darkness, and otherwise was indistinguishable from humans. It could be that a member of that species would be molecularly just like a blind member of our species, but would differ in teleology.Alexander R Prusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05989277655934827117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-67612595197962034752010-08-31T23:08:34.227-05:002010-08-31T23:08:34.227-05:00St. Augustine was a Platonist, which means that th...St. Augustine was a Platonist, which means that there could be no Sam*, since all human beings participate in a nature that ought to have sight. Sam, of course, could be a creature who has no sight by nature. Sight, perhaps, is good relative to a being's natural end or intrinsic purpose. Thus, if Sam* were to acquire sight by some artificial or surgical means, it may actually not be a good relative to his nature. And if it is, if he were to lose it, it's not clear that he would be "harmed," since he was not entitled to it to begin with. If, for example, a pirate were to return the prosthetic leg he stole from its owner, he would be in one sense worse off than he was before, but he would technically not have been wronged. In another sense, he would be better off since he would have done a good thing in returning the leg to its owner. All things considered, he would be more virtuous, though still missing a leg.Francis Beckwithhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03765632359220115150noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-45201203055962965692010-08-31T11:33:23.975-05:002010-08-31T11:33:23.975-05:00The challenge to Augustine's view may be suffe...<i>The challenge to Augustine's view may be suffering. It is difficult to think of suffering as a mere privation. </i><br /><br />I think this is perceptive.Heath Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13535886546816778688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-22143346077818898992010-08-31T11:09:19.597-05:002010-08-31T11:09:19.597-05:00Well, Augustine concludes that there is no problem...Well, Augustine concludes that there is no problem of evil.<br /><br />There are in fact critters that have no sight, no hearing, no morality, no intelligence, etc., and we do not think the problem of evil comes up for them. For instance, oak trees.<br /><br />The challenge to Augustine's view may be suffering. It is difficult to think of suffering as a mere privation. I am inclined to think that at least veridical pain is a good thing, being a truth-directed perceptual state, but it is hard (especially for a wimp like me) to believe that, despite the arguments for it being strong.Alexander R Prusshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05989277655934827117noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3891434218564545511.post-23555739254939101182010-08-31T10:45:29.793-05:002010-08-31T10:45:29.793-05:00This argument can be generalized in a way which I ...This argument can be generalized in a way which I would regard as a reductio.<br /><br />Suppose Sam is deaf and blind, and Sam* is deaf, and consider Sam**, who is like Sam* except in having no hearing. This, however, is normal for Sam**. So the problem of evil doesn't come up for Sam**, Sam* > Sam**, therefore the problem of evil doesn't come up for Sam*.<br /><br />Consider Sam***...<br /><br />Suppose all previous Sams are reduced to utter wretchedness. Consider Sam************, the most wretched and miserable creature conceivable as still having a life. This state, however, is normal for Sam************. All previous Sams are better off than Sam************, the POE doesn't come up for him, so it doesn't come up for them either.<br /><br />One is left wondering where the intuitive grip of the POE comes from, if it's as easy as all that.Heath Whitehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13535886546816778688noreply@blogger.com