Theodicy: the 'good' view of viruses (Introduction)

by David Turell , Wednesday, November 03, 2021, 15:27 (904 days ago) @ dhw

DAVID: It requires the thought that God is not all light (good).

dhw: That is one logical conclusion to be drawn from all the bad in the world. Congratulations, you have found an answer to the problem. But now you go on to his good intentions, which suggests that he is all good, and so you haven’t found an answer to the problem.

I have given you answers you won't accept. God knew His system might and would produce errors, and put in editing systems to protect the system.

DAVID:… that He wished for the best result is shown by his editing systems. The quality of the design requires using error prone freely acting molecules to create life. There are no errors in a design if it is the only one available for use.

dhw: You yourself keep talking about the errors that your well-meaning God tries (sometimes in vain) to correct! Now you’re telling us that the errors are not errors, because your God couldn’t design an error-free system. So what was he trying to correct? I didn’t know that as first cause he found himself limited by what was available. I thought he created everything that was available.

He did. Try to understand this is the only system that would work, and that there are no other alternatives.

The good viruses do
QUOTE: Scientists may always dispute whether viruses are alive or not, but they can hopefully agree on the importance of viruses to life as we know it. “However you want to think about life,” says Villarreal, “viruses are going to be there.'"

DAVID: Viruses have to be here and play a role. So do bacteria. And yes some roles are bad.

dhw: And you want us to discuss theodicy but you don’t want us to take any notice of the bad.

DAVID: Unfair. I brought up the bad, but do not accept your interpretation.

dhw: You brought up the bad, but then kept on telling me how negative I was because the subject of theodicy entails explaining the bad, and you only wanted to focus on the good.

What is wrong with focusing on the good? Viewing life in the whole, what percentage do you see as bad?