Problem of Evil

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Give an example of a natural evil

2004 Indian Ocean earthquake and tsunami

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Why would people say that the pain that suffering causes, is often unjust.

Because it strikes indiscriminately, so that its victims are often those who have done nothing wrong, including tiny babies

When can it be difficult to differentiate between moral evil and natural evil

In cases where intentional human actions exacerbate the effects of natural disasters (for example, knowingly building on a fault line, which may cause an earthquake)

Explain 'The concept of evil'

One of the main arguments used by non-believers against the existence of God is based on the presence of evil and suffering in the world. The term evil is often used to describe something that is morally wrong. Hence, crimes like mass murder are often called evil. However, philosophers make a distinction between moral evil and natural evil. Evil is often divided into natural and moral evil although the distinction may be blurred in cases where intentional human actions (for example, knowingly building on a fault line) exacerbate the effects of natural disasters (earthquakes etc.) The consequence of evil is suffering. Suffering often involves mental anguish and depression as well as physical pain. These effects can be very long lasting, many participants in the two world wars never recovered from their ordeals. In addition to the pain that it causes, suffering is often unjust. It strikes indiscriminately, so that its victims are often those who have done nothing wrong, including tiny babies

What is the consequence of evil

Suffering

Explain 'The problem of evil'

The devastating effects of natural and moral evil are unpleasant for everyone who is affected by them. However, for religious people evil poses an additional challenge to their faith which is known as the problem of evil. This is the problem of how an all-powerful and all-loving God can allow His creation to suffer without coming to its rescue and putting an end to its torment. It can be seen that the problem of evil is a challenge specifically for believers in the God of classical theism. Other religious outlooks, which accept the existence of a variety of gods of assorted character and authority, do not have the same problem since the existence of evil can be attributed to the tensions between the different gods. However, followers of the God of classical theism acknowledge the existence of one God only, who is the all-powerful and all-loving Creator of the universe. The problem of evil challenges this belief and comes in two forms: *The logical problem of evil argues that evil makes the existence of God impossible. The evidential problem of evil argues that evil makes the existence of God improbable.

Explain 'The logical problem of evil'

The logical problem of evil argues that the existence of evil is incompatible with the existence of God. As a result, it is logically inconsistent to accept that both exist together. This can be summarised as the following dilemma: *Since God alone created the universe out of nothing, He has total responsibility for everything in it. If He is omnipotent, then He can do anything that is logically possible. This means that He could have created a world free from the actual evil and suffering, and free the possibility of ever going wrong. It also means that, should He have allowed them to come about, He could end all evil and suffering. *Since God omniscient, He has complete knowledge of everything in the universe, including evil and suffering. He also knows how to stop it. *However, if God is all-loving, He would wish to end all evil and suffering, in the words of J.Makie: 'A wholly good being eliminates evil as far as it can' (The Miracle of Theism: Arguments against the Existence of God, 1982). Any loving being, as we understand the term, would wish to stop the multiple horrors heaped upon the millions of innocent people over the years. No all-loving God would allow His creation to suffer physical and mental torment for no reason to no avail. Since God is omnipotent, He could immediately carry out His desire to step in and stop the suffering. *Upon examining the qualities of omnipotence, omnibenevolence and evil, David Hume argued that only two of the three can exist alongside each other. Therefore either God is not omnipotent, or God is not all loving (omnibenvolent) or evil does not exist *While the existence of evil has been questioned by some, Hume considered that its effects are felt too widely, and its presence attested too vividly for it to be dismissible. Therefore, accepting that evil exists, he concluded that God must either be impotent or malicious.

The effects of suffering can be

can be very long lasting Eg. many participants in the two world wars never recovered from their ordeals.

Define Natural evil

causes of suffering within the natural world including disaster, disease, decay and death.

The term evil is often used to...

describe something that is morally wrong. Eg. mass murder

Define Moral evil

intentional human action (commission) or inaction omission) that results in suffering, for example murder, or, arguably, failure to have children vaccinated.

What does suffering often involve

mental anguish and depression as well as physical pain.

Philosophers make a distinction between

moral evil and natural evil

Evil is often divided into

natural and moral evil

Define Evil

that which is contrary to God's will; a cause of suffering. This definition is only of relevance to religious people

Define The problem of evil

the challenge that the existence of evil poses for faith in God. Two forms of the problem are generally recognised: the logical problem of evil based on the inconsistent triad; and the evidential problem of evil based on the existence of pointless suffering which, it is argued, makes it probable that God does not exist.

What is one of the main arguments used by on-believers against the existence of God

the presence of evil and suffering in the world.

In addition to the pain that it causes...

the suffering is often unjust.

Define The logical problem of evil

the view propounded by J. L. Mackie, and also found in the work of David Hume among many others, that is the three statements: "God is all-powerful", "God is all-loving', and "there is evil in the world', are logically inconsistent and cannot be true. Since one of the three (evil exists) appears to be true, at least one of the other two must, logically, be false.