© Michael Lacewing

The Problem of Evil

Michael Lacewingenquiries@alevelphilosophy.co.uk

Types of evil

• Evil: the term is used to cover not just actions and motives that are wrong or cause suffering, but also suffering in general, of animals as well as human beings

• Moral evil: evil caused by moral agents through choice

• Natural evil: evil caused in other ways, e.g. suffering caused by earthquakes, illness, etc.

The problem

• God is all-good and omnipotent. If all-good, then God would not wish us to suffer unnecessarily; if omnipotent, then God is able to prevent us from suffering unnecessarily.

• If God created the world, which contains evil, then it seems God created evil.

Two problems of evil

• Logical: ‘The mere existence of evil is logically incompatible with the existence of an all-loving, all-powerful God.’ – This doesn’t seem to be true, e.g. if some

evil is necessary for some greater good.

• Evidential: ‘The amount of evil that exists is incompatible with the existence of an all-loving, all-powerful God.’

Solutions?

Augustine’s theodicy

• ‘It’s all our fault.’• The ‘Fall’, which

resulted from Adam and Eve’s choice, altered the order of the universe, giving rise to pain and struggle (Genesis 3:15-19). So all evil, natural evil as well as moral evil, was caused by human choice, not God.

Objections

• If the Fall never happened, how can human sin be literally the cause of natural evil?

• Is it fair for God to allow such terrible consequences from just one choice?

• Is free will so good that it outweighs all evil?

• Could God ensure that free agents always choose the good?

Irenaeus’ theodicy

• ‘Suffering is good for us.’

• Suffering is necessary for people to be good: Virtues are impossible unless there is evil (natural or moral) to respond to and correct.

Objections

• Why couldn’t God create us virtuous?• Does all suffering – who suffers and how

much – lead to the growth of goodness? – Reply: predictability would not require

faith or hope• Why so much suffering? Can’t goodness

grow against more minor evils? How can the suffering of animals be explained?