Essay Assignment: INTRODUCTION TO PHILOSOPHY
1. What is the problem of evil? What is a theodicy? Explain each of the components of Sam Miller's theodicy as presented in 'A Dialogue on Good, Evil and the Existence of God', making note of any objections to each of the components.
2. If God does not exist, then a different account is needed for the origin of our concepts of Good and Evil. Gretchen Weirob presents such an account in the final section of 'A Dialogue on Good, Evil and the Existence of God'. According to her evolutionary view, what is the origin of Good? What is the origin of Evil?
3. On the First Night in the Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality, Sam Miller argues that the identity of persons over time is determined by the identity of the soul. What is that theory? Gretchen Weirob then argues that the soul is irrelevant to personal identity and therefore to the possibility of life after death. Explain.
4. On the Second Night in the the Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality, Sam introduces a view of personal identity based on memory. What is that theory? What is Gretchen's objection based on actually vs. seeming to remember?
The response should include a reference list. Double-space, using Times New Roman 12 pnt font, one-inch margins, and APA style of writing and citations.