Quiz preparing
- Marx says religion is “the opium of the people.” What does he mean by this? Write a full paragraph at least
By stating that religion is the opium of the people, Karl Max implies that religion prevents one from facing reality. It creates false impressions that make people believers of the unknown. If one is under the influence of opium, he or she is usually detached from reality. The partakers of opium usually do so with the aim of avoiding to face reality. Therefore, religion, as the opium of the people, makes people blind in understanding their real situation.
- Why does Sigmund Freud oppose religious belief?
Sigmund opposes religious belief by stating that religious beliefs make people think that things will just work out from the blues. Given this case, such kind of beliefs makes the human needs go unmet in human relationships.
- Why does Mackie think the Free Will Solution does not work? (Read the highlighted portions of his paper (pdf above), In addition, what is an example of a situation where even if humans act freely,you could argue God is also responsible.
Free will implies one’s capacity to control his or her actions. However, Mackie thinks that Free Will Solution does not work as people may end up doing things the wrong way out of their control.
- Mackie claims that “Evil is necessary as a means to good” does not solve the problem of evil. Explain his argument. (Read the highlighted portions of his paper (pdf above)
According to Mackie, Evil is necessary as a means to good. This implies that good cannot exist without the existence of evil. There has to be evil for people to be able to differentiate that which is good and that which is evil.
- Why does Mackie think that “Evil is a necessary counterpart to good” (Knowledge Defense) is not a good defense? (Read the highlighted portions of his paper (pdf above)
Evil is a necessary counterpart to good as without evil, it will be difficult for people to identify the good.
- In addition to the problem of evil, what are other philosophical contradictions or puzzles that arise from God’s “Omni” attributes – like Omniscience and Omnipotence?
In regard to omnipotence, it is noted that God has unlimited powers to act, and if so, then no human being has the power to act independently of God.
On the other hand, the aspect of God being omniscient is not in tandem with the freedom that he gave to human beings. If God really knew what human beings will do in the future, they should actually do that which God knows.
Last but not least, the fact that God is omnibenevolence contradicts the element of having God letting its creatures tempted by Satan.