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Tom
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   Posted 5/6/2003 7:12 PM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
I recently met Mark McLean (Professor, Biblical Studies and Philosophy Department, Evangel University) via email and have enjoyed discussing issues with him. He has an online theodicy survey which is part of a larger project he'll be finishing up in a year or so.

You'll find the introduction to the survey at www.evangel.edu/Theodicy

The website needs to be spiffed up some, but at least the text of the survey is there. Mark encourages anyone who is interested in the topic to take the survey.

Tom

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Alan Rhoda
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   Posted 5/7/2003 2:59 PM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Interesting survey, Tom. Thanks for posting it. It'll be interesting to see what the survey results are.

One question about the structure of the survey. The answer choices are "Strongly Agree", "Somewhat Agree", "I don't know", "Somewhat Disagree", and "Strongly Disagree". What bothers me is that if I only "Somewhat Agree" then by definition I also "Somewhat Disagree". So which one is a person to choose? I think Professor McLean should reword the answers to read: "Completely Agree", "Mostly Agree", "Unsure", "Mostly Disagree", and "Completely Disagree".

Alan
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Modes of Thought
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   Posted 5/7/2003 4:16 PM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
I did the survey. I thought it was interesting. Thanks for the link. I didn't have any trouble with the options.

"I don't feel a real urgent burden to get all the details of my ethics worked out until I've got the profundity of my love worked out in a Christ-like way." --doc

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GregBoyd
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   Posted 5/7/2003 6:52 PM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Alan's right about the ambiguity of "somewhat agree/disagree." Also, even with his definitions, there were a large number of questions where I was thinking "well, depends on whether...". (But I ALWAYS overthink these sorts of questions. I never did well on objective tests!). But it was interesting survey none the less.

thanks
Doc

"The responsibility is with the chooser -- God is blameless." Plato, Republic, 10.
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Springs
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   Posted 5/7/2003 7:21 PM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
Cool survey Tom. I would rather say I'm unsure than I don't know also, but I try to just keep a range in mind when answering. I put I don't know on the question about the best of all possible worlds. I would think it was. Why wouldn't it be? What if it wasn't? Who thinks up this stuff? :) I disagreed wtih having a food chain in heaven.

-S

"Dreams are illustrations...from the book your soul is writing about you." -Marsha Norman
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Modes of Thought
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   Posted 5/7/2003 8:12 PM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
quote:

I disagreed wtih having a food chain in heaven.

-S



Well, as long as there is still a buffet line...


"I don't feel a real urgent burden to get all the details of my ethics worked out until I've got the profundity of my love worked out in a Christ-like way." --doc

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PotOnWheel
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   Posted 5/8/2003 1:13 AM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
quote:
Doc

Alan's right about the ambiguity of "somewhat agree/disagree." Also, even with his definitions, there were a large number of questions where I was thinking "well, depends on whether...". (But I ALWAYS overthink these sorts of questions. I never did well on objective tests!). But it was interesting survey none the less.



I didn't get to far in it. Too many I'd have to answer with something like: "Neither way, because both polarities assume certain presuppositions that I don't endorse."

PoW
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Tom
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   Posted 5/8/2003 4:03 AM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
PoW: I didn't get to far in it. Too many I'd have to answer with something like: "Neither way, because both polarities assume certain presuppositions that I don't endorse."

Tom: Ahhhhh, PoW. Where would we be without you? I'll ask Mark to add the following response box on every question:
  • Fully agree and fully disagree symultaneously without constituting a contradiction.




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PotOnWheel
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   Posted 5/8/2003 10:48 AM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
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Mark
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   Posted 5/9/2003 8:03 AM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
My thanks to Tom for introducing me to this forum. I had written a somewhat lengthy, somewhat serious, somewhat playful post, but as a newbie, I managed to delete it. I'll try again later.

Thanks for the feedback on the natural evil survey. I'll expain what is going on with that later. I am looking forward to sharing ideas about these issues with the members.

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DLW
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   Posted 5/9/2003 10:06 AM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
quote:





You know PoW, you could just try and answer the question to the best extent the survey allowed. That's what I did.

dlw

Prayer from Kenya

From the Cowardice that dare not face new truth,
From the Laziness that is contented with half-truth,
From the Arrogance that thinks it knows all truth,
Lord Deliver Me.
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PotOnWheel
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   Posted 5/9/2003 11:16 AM (GMT -6)    Quote This PostAlert An Admin About This Post.
quote:

quote:





You know PoW, you could just try and answer the question to the best extent the survey allowed. That's what I did.

dlw



That's fine, DLW.

My "faces" were at Tom's contraditory post where he reversed what I'd said and tried to ridicule me. He's been getting personal of late, and not focusing on ideas. THAT's "sad."

    Tom: Fully agree and fully disagree symultaneously without constituting a contradiction.

    VERSUS

    PoW: "Neither way, because both polarities assume certain presuppositions that I don't endorse."


I could take the survey as is. I can also recommend that a traditional "N/A" be added. That would handle several of the responses that I'd have liked to make.

Thanks, DLW
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