Reference

Keith Ward's evolutionary theodicy incorporates both type and token values to explain how evolution can be consistent with the existence of a benevolent deity. Here’s a detailed explanation of these concepts in Ward's theodicy:

1. Type Values: These are general kinds or categories of valuable states of affairs. For example, "freedom" or "creativity" would be considered type values since they represent a general category of value. In evolutionary terms, type values can manifest as the overall potential the evolutionary process has to produce diverse forms of life and capabilities, such as the capacity for creatures to experience pleasure.

2. Token Values: These are specific instances or embodiments of type values. For example, a particular act of kindness by a specific individual is a token of the type value "kindness." In evolutionary theodicy, token values might be the individual instances of joy or meaningful relationships experienced by living beings throughout evolutionary history.

Ward's argument is that evolution is necessary for both type and token values. He suggests that only through an evolutionary process can certain valuable goods—both in general forms (types) and particular manifestations (tokens)—come to exist. For example:

• Type Values: Evolution is a process that enables the emergence of complex and morally significant qualities like intelligence, love, and freedom. These qualities cannot come about in a static or unchanging universe but require the dynamism and unpredictability of evolution.
• Token Values: The individual instances of creatures experiencing joy, engaging in creative actions, and making morally significant choices are seen as valuable outcomes of the evolutionary process. These tokens add to the richness and diversity of creation, which Ward argues is a greater good that justifies the evolutionary process, even with its inherent suffering and unpredictability.

For a more detailed analytical exploration, you might want to read the respective academic articles dealing with this topic, such as the one available on DiVA Portal.

This nuanced approach allows Ward to address the problem of evil by suggesting that the potential for both broad categories of good and particular good experiences necessitates a world where evolution, with all its attendant suffering and unpredictability, can take place.