TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – Jonathan Cobb, a University of Alabama sophomore from Alabaster, recently won the 2008 Alabama Philosophical Society Undergraduate Essay Contest.

Cobb’s essay, “Natural Evil and the Butterfly Effect,” examined the sufferings caused by natural disasters and how they relate to the Butterfly Effect, which is a concept that examines the way small events, such as a butterfly flapping its wings, can cause unforeseen larger events to happen in the future.

“My paper attempts to set up and describe a system that allows natural evils as well as an omnipotent, omniscient, morally perfect God to coexist while preserving a scientific worldview,” Cobb said. “In short, the paper claims that through the ‘butterfly effect’ it is possible that the natural evils in the world are caused indirectly by the moral evils done by humans; and, furthermore, that one should not blame God for the existence of such evils.”

Dr. Scott Hestevold, a professor and chair in the department of philosophy, encouraged Cobb to enter the essay into the competition after he wrote it for a class.

“He submitted the paper in an upper seminar class as a freshman,” Hestevold said. “It was clear, precise and well thought out.”

Cobb presented the paper in September at the Alabama Philosophical Society Annual Conference in Orange Beach. Cobb received a cash prize with the award. Hestevold said the experience Cobb received from presenting his paper as an undergraduate student to fellow academics was invaluable.

“The competition offers the student the experience of presenting a paper publicly, of reading or talking through the work, and then addressing any questions or objections raised by those in the audience,” he said. “This sort of philosophical exchange can be unnerving, but it is an important part of what doing philosophy involves.”

Cobb graduated from the Alabama School of Fine Arts in Birmingham where he was in the math and science program. He is majoring in philosophy and is a student in the Blount Undergraduate Initiative in the College of Arts and Sciences.

The Alabama Philosophical Society was founded in 1963 by professors at The University of Alabama and Auburn University with the purpose of bringing together persons interested in discussing topics and questions of a philosophical nature from all philosophical points of view. The group meets annually in the fall and has hosted an Undergraduate Essay Contest since 2000.

The College of Arts and Sciences is the University’s largest division and the largest liberal arts college in the state. Students from the College have won numerous national awards including Rhodes Scholarships, Goldwater Scholarships and memberships on the “USA Today” Academic All American Teams.

The University of Alabama, a student-centered research university, is in the midst of a planned, steady enrollment growth with a goal of reaching 28,000 students by 2010. This growth, which is positively impacting the campus and the state’s economy, is in keeping with UA’s vision to be the university of choice for the best and brightest students UA, the state’s flagship university, is an academic community united in its commitment to enhancing the quality of life for all Alabamians.