PROBLEM OF EVIL
SPECIFICATION
Problem of evil:
Whether God’s attributes can be reconciled with the existence of
evil.
The nature of moral evil and natural evil.
The logical and evidential forms of the problem of evil.
Responses to these issues and issues arising from these responses:
The Free Will Defence (including Alvin Plantinga)
Soul-making (including John Hick).
OVERVIEW:
, Theos = uniqueness
Ontology = being
=> Uses existence of evil to argue God doesn't exist
-> logical problem: deductive - existence of God is logically impossible given existence of evil
-> evidential problem: inductive - it is logically possible that God exists but the amount of evil in our
world is strong evidence that God doesn't exist
Theodicy = an explanation of why an omnipotent and omniscient God would permit evil
-> If God engages with reality, then why doesn’t he solve the problem of evil and suffering?
-> Many responses:
1. Atheism - evil exists and God doesn’t
2. Alternative theologies - evil exists and God exists -> God isn't omnipotent etc
3. Afterlife - evil exists and God exists -> evil is balanced by greater good/justice
4. Free will defence - evil exists and God exists -> evil is consequence of greater good
5. Soul-making theodicy - evil exists and God exists -> evil leads to a greater good - fulfilling
potentials
(3,4,5 = theodicy)
Strong theodicy: explanation/justification for why God permits existence of evil
Weak theodicy: defence of theism and aim to show why existence of God is compatible with evil
Can the theistic understanding of an omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient God be reconciled
with the existence of evil and suffering in a world they have created and are capable of engaging with?
=> INCONSISTENT TRIAD:
If God is omnipotent then God can stop evil.
If God is omnibenevolent then God would want to stop evil.
As evil exists, God cannot have both those attributes
(A) God possesses certain attributes: creator, goodness, power, intelligence
(B) world contains certain properties: pain, suffering, death, absence of justice = EVIL
-> if they cannot be reconciled, either A or B has to be abandoned
-> risks conclusion that God doesn’t exist
-> if God is omnibenevolent he wants to stop evil and if God is omnipotent he's powerful enough
to prevent evil
NATURE OF MORAL EVIL AND NATURAL EVIL:
SPECIFICATION
Problem of evil:
Whether God’s attributes can be reconciled with the existence of
evil.
The nature of moral evil and natural evil.
The logical and evidential forms of the problem of evil.
Responses to these issues and issues arising from these responses:
The Free Will Defence (including Alvin Plantinga)
Soul-making (including John Hick).
OVERVIEW:
, Theos = uniqueness
Ontology = being
=> Uses existence of evil to argue God doesn't exist
-> logical problem: deductive - existence of God is logically impossible given existence of evil
-> evidential problem: inductive - it is logically possible that God exists but the amount of evil in our
world is strong evidence that God doesn't exist
Theodicy = an explanation of why an omnipotent and omniscient God would permit evil
-> If God engages with reality, then why doesn’t he solve the problem of evil and suffering?
-> Many responses:
1. Atheism - evil exists and God doesn’t
2. Alternative theologies - evil exists and God exists -> God isn't omnipotent etc
3. Afterlife - evil exists and God exists -> evil is balanced by greater good/justice
4. Free will defence - evil exists and God exists -> evil is consequence of greater good
5. Soul-making theodicy - evil exists and God exists -> evil leads to a greater good - fulfilling
potentials
(3,4,5 = theodicy)
Strong theodicy: explanation/justification for why God permits existence of evil
Weak theodicy: defence of theism and aim to show why existence of God is compatible with evil
Can the theistic understanding of an omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient God be reconciled
with the existence of evil and suffering in a world they have created and are capable of engaging with?
=> INCONSISTENT TRIAD:
If God is omnipotent then God can stop evil.
If God is omnibenevolent then God would want to stop evil.
As evil exists, God cannot have both those attributes
(A) God possesses certain attributes: creator, goodness, power, intelligence
(B) world contains certain properties: pain, suffering, death, absence of justice = EVIL
-> if they cannot be reconciled, either A or B has to be abandoned
-> risks conclusion that God doesn’t exist
-> if God is omnibenevolent he wants to stop evil and if God is omnipotent he's powerful enough
to prevent evil
NATURE OF MORAL EVIL AND NATURAL EVIL:
