TPOES - AO1

What is the Logical Problem of Evil?

• God is omnipotent.

• God is omnibenevolent.

• Evil exists.

• These three claims appear logically inconsistent together.

What is the Epicurean paradox?

Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent.

Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.

Is he both able and willing? Then why is there evil?.

Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?.

How does J.L. Mackie formulate the Logical Problem of Evil?

1. An omnipotent God could eliminate evil.

2. An omnibenevolent God would want to eliminate evil.

3. Evil exists.

4. Therefore, such a God does not exist.

What is Mackie’s Inconsistent Triad?

1. God is omnipotent.

2. God is omnibenevolent.

3. Evil exists.

4. These three propositions cannot all be true at once.

What is meant by ‘omnipotent’?

1. God is all-powerful.

2. God can do anything logically possible.

3. God has no external limitations.

What is meant by ‘omnibenevolent’?

• God is perfectly good.

• God always wills what is morally best.

• God opposes evil.

What is moral evil?

1. Evil caused by human actions.

2. Arises from misuse of free will.

3. Examples include murder or cruelty.

What is natural evil?

• Evil caused by natural processes.

• Not directly caused by human choice.

• Examples include earthquakes and disease.

What is a theodicy?

1. An attempt to justify God’s goodness.

2. Explains why evil exists.

3. Tries to show God and evil are logically compatible.

What is a defence?

1. A response aiming to show no logical contradiction exists.

2. Does not need to explain why evil exists.

3. Only needs to show God and evil could coexist logically.

What is Plantinga’s Free Will Defence?

1. Free will is a great good.

2. Genuine freedom allows possibility of evil.

3. God cannot force free creatures to always choose good.

What is ‘transworld depravity’?

1. The idea that free creatures would choose evil in any possible world.

2. God cannot guarantee free creatures always choose good.

3. Explains persistence of moral evil.

How does the Free Will Defence address moral evil?

• Evil results from human misuse of freedom.

• God values free will over preventing evil.

• Moral evil does not contradict God’s existence.

How might natural evil be explained within the Free Will Defence?

1. Natural laws are necessary for stable freedom.

2. Regular natural processes sometimes cause harm.

3. Removing natural evil may remove meaningful freedom.

What does Mackie argue about omnipotence?

1. God could create free beings who always choose good.

2. Limiting God’s power undermines omnipotence.

3. Therefore free will may not solve the problem.

What is the logical force of Mackie’s argument?

• It aims to show strict logical contradiction.

• Not about probability.

• Claims the concept of God is incoherent.

What must be shown to defeat the Logical Problem of Evil?

1. That no contradiction exists.

2. That God and evil are logically compatible.

3. Not that evil is fully explained.

What is the Evidential Problem of Evil?

• Evil exists.

• Some evil appears pointless or excessive.

• Therefore, God’s existence is unlikely.

How does the Evidential Problem differ from the Logical Problem?

1. It does not claim contradiction.

2. It argues evil makes God improbable.

3. It focuses on the amount and kinds of suffering.

Who developed the Evidential Problem of Evil?

• William Rowe.

• Focused on apparently pointless suffering.

• Argued this counts as evidence against God.

What is Rowe’s example of pointless suffering?

• A fawn trapped in a forest fire.

• It suffers and dies alone.

• No greater good seems to result.

What is ‘gratuitous evil’?

1. Evil that serves no greater purpose.

2. Appears unnecessary.

3. Central to Rowe’s argument.

What is Rowe’s key premise?

• If God exists, there would be no gratuitous evil.

• There appears to be gratuitous evil.

• Therefore, God probably does not exist.

What is the ‘appearance’ principle?

1. If something appears pointless,

2. And we have no reason to think otherwise,

3. We are justified in believing it is pointless.

What is skeptical theism?

• Humans have limited knowledge.

• We may not understand God’s reasons.

• Apparent evil may not be gratuitous.