Years ago, atheist
philosopher William Rowe wrote an influential article on the evidential problem
of evil. His memorably used the sentimental example of a fawn burning to death
in a forest fire, to illustrate gratuitous natural evil. This tearjerker is
appealing to some people.
However, Rowe’s expertise
lay in philosophy, not forestry. As the field of fire ecology demonstrates,
forest fires are not gratuitous evils, but beneficial to fauna and flora alike.
Although some animals die, forest fires contribute to the common good of the
ecosystem. For instance:
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