Problem of Evil

Who was the first to formulate the Problem of Evil?

Epicurus

What were Epicurus’ four questions in Epicurean Paradox?

1. Is God willing but not able to prevent evil? Then he isn’t omnipotent.

2. Is God able to prevent evil but not willing? Then he isn’t omnibenevolent.

3. If God is both able and willing, then why is there evil?

4. If God is neither able or willing, then why call him God?

How did Mackie reformulate Epicurus’ argument?

Into the ‘Inconsistent Triad’

What is the logical problem of evil?

Theism is contradictory because it involves acceptance that both evil and God exist together - this is logically inconsistent.

What does the ‘Inconsistent Triad’ conclude?

The God of classical theism (being omnipotent and omnibenevolent) cannot exist if evil exists.

Either omnipotence, omnibenevolence or evil must not exist, as all three are inconsistent

Why are the three elements of the ‘Inconsistent Triad” incompatible?

• An omnipotent God has the power to eliminate evil

• An omnibenevolent God has the motivation to eliminate evil

• Nothing can exist if there is a being with the power and motivation to eliminate it

Therefore, evil, omnipotence, and omnibenevolence form an inconsistent triad, in which the classically defined God cannot exist alongside evil.

What is Mackie’s book called?

Evil and Omnipotence [1955]

Is the logical problem of evil (Inconsistent Triad) a priori or a posteriori ?

This is an a priori argument because the conclusion follows the logical analysis, without reference to experience.

What are Hume’s four examples of a posteriori evidence of evil?

1. Animal Suffering - what purpose does it serve?

2. Creatures have limited abilities to ensure survival and happiness

3. Why does nature have extremes which make survival and happiness more difficult (natural evil)?

4. Why doesn’t God intervene to prevent individual natural disasters?

How does Hick define evil?

“physical pain, mental suffering and moral wickedness”

How does Dawkins describe Old Testament God in ‘The God Delusion’ ?

“The God of the Old Testament is arguably the most unpleasant character in all fiction: jealous and proud of it; a petty, unjust, unforgiving control-freak;”

What does Privation mean?

The loss the absence of a quality or attribute that is normally present.

What is moral evil?

We are all flawed ‘free will agents’, that cause suffering.

What are Mackie’s two quasi-logical rules?

If something is wholly good, it always eliminates as much evil as it can.

If something is omnipotent, it can do anything.

What does Hume claim regarding evil?

The effects of evil are felt too widely, for it to be dismissible “we have to admit the reality of evil and disorder of which the world contains so much”

What does theodicy mean?

the justification of God

Richard Swinburne’s response to free will?

God had chosen to create a world where people always chose to do good, a world where there was no suffering, it would be akin to ‘a toy world’.

What is William Rowe’s argument?

Omnipotent and omniscient being would know when intense suffering is about to take place. Such a being would prevent this from happening. Such evil and suffering does happen.

What does Rowe say to support his argument?

“An omniscient, wholly good being would prevent the occurence of any intense suffering it could.”