Evidential Problem of Evil

Definition

The evidential problem of evil refers to the challenge posed by the existence of evil and suffering in the world to the belief in an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God. It questions how such a God could allow the presence of evil and argues that the scale and intensity of suffering in the world is incompatible with the traditional conception of a benevolent divine being.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The evidential problem of evil focuses on the quantity, intensity, and distribution of evil and suffering in the world, rather than just its logical compatibility with the existence of God.
2. Proponents of the evidential problem argue that the scale and magnitude of natural disasters, diseases, and human-inflicted cruelty cannot be reconciled with the attributes of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God.
3. The evidential problem suggests that the prevalence of innocent suffering, particularly among children, is strong evidence against the existence of a benevolent divine being.
4. Philosophers and theologians have proposed various theodicies, or attempts to reconcile the existence of evil with the traditional conception of God, but the evidential problem remains a significant challenge to theistic belief.
5. The evidential problem of evil is often contrasted with the logical problem of evil, which focuses on the logical incompatibility between the existence of evil and the attributes of God.

Review Questions

• Explain how the evidential problem of evil differs from the logical problem of evil.
  • The evidential problem of evil focuses on the quantity, intensity, and distribution of evil and suffering in the world, rather than just its logical compatibility with the existence of God. Proponents of the evidential problem argue that the scale and magnitude of natural disasters, diseases, and human-inflicted cruelty cannot be reconciled with the attributes of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God. This is in contrast to the logical problem of evil, which focuses on the logical incompatibility between the existence of evil and the traditional conception of a benevolent divine being.
• Describe how the evidential problem of evil challenges the traditional conception of God's attributes.
  • The evidential problem of evil suggests that the prevalence of innocent suffering, particularly among children, is strong evidence against the existence of a benevolent divine being. The sheer scale and intensity of evil and suffering in the world, such as natural disasters, diseases, and human-inflicted cruelty, are seen as incompatible with the traditional attributes of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God. This challenge to God's attributes is a key aspect of the evidential problem of evil, which questions how such a God could allow the presence of such widespread and profound suffering.
• Analyze the relationship between the evidential problem of evil and the concept of theodicy.
  • The evidential problem of evil has led to the development of various theodicies, which are philosophical and theological attempts to reconcile the existence of evil and suffering with the belief in an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God. Theodicies try to provide explanations or justifications for the presence of evil, such as the role of free will, the potential for greater good, or the limitations of human understanding. However, the evidential problem of evil remains a significant challenge to theistic belief, as the scale and intensity of suffering in the world are seen as incompatible with the traditional conception of a benevolent divine being, despite the efforts of theodicists to resolve this apparent contradiction.

Related terms

Logical Problem of Evil:

The logical problem of evil argues that the existence of evil is logically incompatible with the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God.

Theodicy:

Theodicy is the philosophical and theological attempt to reconcile the existence of evil and suffering with the belief in an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God.

Divine Hiddenness: The divine hiddenness problem suggests that the apparent absence or hiddenness of God is incompatible with the traditional conception of a loving and caring divine being.