The Epicurean Paradox is trending again.

in philosophy •  2 years ago 

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It seems to come and go every few years, and every time I'm reminded of the stark contrast in how concepts in different fields are treated by most people.

While "scientific" questions are (usually) treated with great epistemic humility and deference to established research, core questions in the humanities are approached with a level of arrogance bordering on insanity.

There aren't a lot of people who would claim to know how to build the fastest computer in the universe, or how to stop and reverse human aging. But ask anyone about what laws would exist in the perfect society, or how to be a good person, and they will usually responded quickly and confidently.

The Epicurean Paradox asserts that God cannot be omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent, because evil and suffering exist in our world. But in doing so, it not only assumes the definitions of all these concepts, but also the form a world constructed by such a deity would take.

To be fair, the philosopher Epicurus and his followers (for whom the paradox is named, although its attribution is unknown) did do a lot of thinking, debating, and writing about the concepts in question, as have many philosophers in the millennia since. And still have never come to a clear consensus.

But those who share the paradox today usually have not done their homework, and are not prepared or willing to defend their assumptions when challenged. They simply believe they are right, because the contrary would be uncomfortable.

This is a problem not only for abstract theological and philosophical debates, but also for vital political and ethical questions that affect our laws, elections, judicial decisions, and therefore our daily lives in myriad ways.

I'm not sure what the solution is. I don't have a lot of trust in the modern education system, either at the grade school or university level. And powerful figures who could raise public awareness have strong incentives not to do so, as they usually profit from polarized, emotional rivalries between self-righteously ignorant factions.

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