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29. Religion / D. Religious Issues / 3. Problem of Evil / d. Natural Evil

[possible explanations of why natural disasters occur]

10 ideas
God is responsible for the good things, but we must look elsewhere for the cause of the bad things [Plato]
There is a rationale in terrible disasters; they are useful to the whole, and make good possible [Chrysippus]
If God foresaw evil he would presumably prevent it, and if he only foresees some things, why those things? [Sext.Empiricus]
If we ask whether God's works are perfect, we must not take a narrow viewpoint, but look at the universe as a whole [Descartes]
If sin is not just physical, we don't consider God the origin of sin because he causes physical events [Berkeley]
Nature dispenses cruelty with no concern for either mercy or justice [Mill]
Killing is a human crime, but nature kills everyone, and often with great tortures [Mill]
Hurricanes, locusts, floods and blight can starve a million people to death [Mill]
Nature makes childbirth a miserable experience, often leading to the death of the mother [Mill]
It is logically possible that natural evil like earthquakes is caused by Satan [Plantinga, by PG]