Instruction
Take 900-1200 words to carefully explain the problem of evil or the problem of hiddenness as it is described in one of the texts we have read, and offer your critical evaluation of one of the responses to this problem we have considered. Here are the main elements that your essay must be address:
The problem: identify and explain the problem (evil or hiddenness) your essay is going to consider. Be sure to say how this problem is thought to generate an argument against the existence of a perfectly loving, knowing, and powerful God.
The philosophical response: identify and explain the response to the problem your essay is going to consider (e.g., Stump, Van Inwagen, Kierkegaard, or Nagasawa).
Position: identify your own perspective on how satisfying the philosophical response you are considering is.
Argument: defend your perspective on how satisfying the philosophical response you are considering is in light of what you take to be the most serious objections to that response.
Thesis Templates:
After explaining why the problem of evil/hiddenness should matter to your audience, you should identify the response(s) your essay will critically consider.
In this essay, I will explain how the problems of evil/hiddenness may be understood to generate arguments against the existence of a perfectly knowing, loving and powerful God. I will consider _______’s (and _______’s) response(s) to the problem of evil/hiddenness. _______ argues that _______ (one sentence summary of response). But, one might question this response, because _______ (and _______). I will argue that _______’s response can/cannot offer a satisfying response to this (these) concern(s).
General Guidelines:
Each essay needs to have a clear introduction that explains what the essay will argue, how it will argue it and why your reader should care about that argument.
The first item—what your essay will argue—might be called a position statement or thesis statement. You should be as specific as possible. Don’t just say you are going to raise a question about Plato’s perspective, say exactly what that question is and what your general answer will be.
The second item—how you will argue for your position—provides your reader with a general roadmap of your argument. This part doesn’t need to be too detailed, but it should highlight the most important elements in the essay (e.g., what Bock’s problem is, what philosophical response you will consider, etc.).
Finally, the third item—why your reader should care—this is really the most important item for both you and your reader. You need to understand why what you are arguing is interesting, significant and worthy of attention if you are going to writing anything that will be a benefit to you and of interest to anyone else. If you are not convinced that what you have to say is important, you will probably have a hard to convincing your reader.