A full set of revision notes (3 pages in total) covering the problem of evil and suffering, in the WJEC/EDQUAS Religious Studies specification under Theme 2 (a-c). Notes were created with both A02 and A01 elements in mind and helped me consistently reach A*, A and B+ grades. CONTAINS NOTES ON The types of evil: moral (caused by free will agents) and natural (caused by nature). The logical problem of evil: classical (Epicurus) - the problem of suffering. J. L. Mackie’s modern development - the nature of the problem of evil (inconsistent triad). William Rowe (intense human and animal suffering) and Gregory S. Paul (premature deaths). Religious responses to the problem of evil (i): Augustinian type theodicy: Evil as a consequence of sin: evil as a privation; the fall of human beings and creation; the Cross overcomes evil, soul-deciding; challenges to Augustinian type theodicies: validity of accounts in Genesis, Chapters 2 and 3; scientific error - biological impossibility of human descent from a single pair (therefore invalidating the ‘inheritance of Adam’s sin); moral contradictions of omnibenevolent God and existence of Hell; contradiction of perfect order becoming chaotic - geological and biological evidence suggests the contrary. Religious responses to the problem of evil: Irenaean type theodicy: Vale of soul-making: human beings created imperfect; epistemic distance; second-order goods; eschatological justification; challenges to Irenaean type theodicies: concept of universal salvation unjust; evil and suffering should not be used as a tool by an omnibenevolent God; immensity of suffering and unequal distribution of evil and suffering.

Full set (6 pages) of revision notes on both inductive and deductive proofs, covered in theme 1 (a-c) and theme 1 (d-f) of the WJEC/EDQUAS Religious Studies A-Level specification. These notes are necessary for component 2, the Philosophy of Religion paper. I have ensured they contain sufficient depth of knowledge to fulfill both A01 and A02 elements of questions. CONTAINS NOTES ON Inductive arguments – cosmological: Inductive proofs; the concept of ‘a posteriori’. Cosmological argument: St Thomas Aquinas’ first Three Ways - (motion or change; cause and effect; contingency and necessity). The Kalam cosmological argument with reference to William Lane Craig (rejection of actual infinities and concept of personal creator). Inductive arguments – teleological: St Thomas Aquinas’ Fifth Way - concept of governance; archer and arrow analogy. William Paley’s watchmaker - analogy of complex design. F. R. Tennant’s anthropic and aesthetic arguments - the universe specifically designed for intelligent human life. Challenges to inductive arguments: David Hume - empirical objections and critique of causes (cosmological). David Hume - problems with analogies; rejection of traditional theistic claims: designer not necessarily God of classical theism; apprentice god; plurality of gods; absent god (teleological). Alternative scientific explanations including Big Bang theory and Charles Darwin’s theory of evolution by natural selection. Deductive arguments - origins of the ontological argument Deductive proofs; the concept of ‘a priori’. St Anselm - God as the greatest possible being (Proslogion 2). St Anselm - God has necessary existence (Proslogion 3). Deductive arguments - developments of the ontological argument: Rene Descartes - concept of God as supremely perfect being; analogies of triangles and mountains/valleys. Norman Malcolm - God as unlimited being: God’s existence as necessary rather than just possible. Challenges to the ontological argument: Gaunilo, his reply to St Anselm; his rejection of the idea of a greatest possible being that can be thought of as having separate existence outside of our minds; his analogy of the idea of the greatest island as a ridicule of St Anselm’s logic. Immanuel Kant’s objection - existence is not a determining predicate: it cannot be a property that an object can either possess or lack.

Full set of notes over a 31 slide powerpoint p, resentation, created for revision purposes. All information necessary for Theme 1 (a-c) and Theme 1 (d-f)the Buddhism paper, under the WJEC/EDQUAS A-Level Religious Studies specification. Contains Notes on: Accounts of the birth of the historical Buddha and the Four Sights: The ways in which Buddhists read these narratives. Hagiographical and mythological interpretations of the conception dream of Maya, events surrounding the birth, the prophecy and early life. The biographical impact of the Four Sights and wider religious interpretations of their meaning in terms of dukkha (unsatisfactoriness), anicca (impermanence), anatta (insubstantiality/no-self). B. The Awakening/Enlightenment of the Buddha: An explanation of the main features of the accounts of what led to the Buddha’s Awakening under the Bodhi Tree; including knowledge of past lives, knowledge of the role of karma in the lives of all beings, the path to the cessation of dukkha, meanings of the Mara/temptation narratives, and the earth touching mudra. C. Buddhist texts as sources of wisdom and authority – their use and treatment in daily life: The Patimokkha as one of the sources of wisdom and authority for the Theravada monastic sangha. Its use and treatment as a recited text. The seriousness of the Four Parajikas ‘defeats’, leading to expulsion from the sangha. D. The Pali Canon: its role in Buddhism as a whole: The Tipitaka. The authority of the Vinaya for the Theravada sangha, the wider authority and significance of the Sutta Pitaka, the relevance of the Abidhamma for the commentarial development of Buddhism. The importance of the Pali Canon as a source of wisdom. E. The main themes and concepts in two Mahayana texts: The Heart Sutra - the philosophical content regarding the mutual identity of emptiness and form. The Parable of the Burning House in the Lotus Sutra - exemplifying the concept of skilful means and the provisional nature of the teachings. F. The contribution made to the development of Buddhist thought by the work of contemporary Buddhist teachers: A comparison of the background and work of the Fourteenth Dalai Lama and Thich Nhat Hanh: their practical interpretation of Buddhist teachings for life in the West: with reference to Thich Nhat Hanh’s emphasis on simple practices (smiling, breathing and walking) and the Dalai Lama’s emphasis on acts of kindness; both teachers’ views about compassion and non-harming.