Logical Problem of Evil

Definition

The logical problem of evil is a philosophical argument that challenges the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God by pointing to the presence of evil and suffering in the world. The core of this problem is the apparent contradiction between the attributes of God and the reality of evil, which raises questions about God's ability or willingness to prevent or eliminate suffering.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. The logical problem of evil suggests that the existence of evil and suffering is logically incompatible with the traditional attributes of God, such as omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence.
2. The problem is based on the premise that if God is all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good, then God should be able and willing to prevent or eliminate evil and suffering, but the presence of evil and suffering in the world contradicts this premise.
3. The logical problem of evil challenges the traditional conception of God and raises questions about the nature of God's power, knowledge, and goodness in the face of the reality of evil.
4. The logical problem of evil has been a central issue in the philosophy of religion and has led to various attempts by theologians and philosophers to reconcile the existence of evil with the attributes of God, known as theodicies.
5. The logical problem of evil is distinct from the evidential problem of evil, which focuses on the quantity and severity of evil and suffering in the world as evidence against the existence of God.

Review Questions

• Explain how the logical problem of evil challenges the traditional conception of God.
  • The logical problem of evil challenges the traditional conception of God as all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good by pointing to the presence of evil and suffering in the world. The argument suggests that if God possesses these attributes, then God should be able and willing to prevent or eliminate evil, but the existence of evil and suffering contradicts this premise. This raises questions about the nature of God's power, knowledge, and goodness, and has led to various attempts by theologians and philosophers to reconcile the existence of evil with the traditional attributes of God.
• Describe the difference between the logical problem of evil and the evidential problem of evil.
  • The logical problem of evil focuses on the apparent contradiction between the existence of evil and the traditional attributes of God, such as omnipotence, omniscience, and omnibenevolence. It suggests that the presence of evil and suffering is logically incompatible with these attributes. In contrast, the evidential problem of evil focuses on the quantity and severity of evil and suffering in the world as evidence against the existence of God. The evidential problem does not necessarily challenge the logical compatibility of evil and the divine attributes, but rather questions whether the amount and nature of evil observed in the world is consistent with the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God.
• Analyze how the logical problem of evil has influenced the development of theodicies in the philosophy of religion.
  • The logical problem of evil has been a central issue in the philosophy of religion and has led to the development of various theodicies, which are attempts to reconcile the existence of evil and suffering with the traditional attributes of God. Theologians and philosophers have proposed a range of theodicies, such as the free will defense, the soul-making theodicy, and the greater good theodicy, which aim to explain how the presence of evil and suffering can be compatible with an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God. The ongoing debate and evolution of these theodicies demonstrate the significant influence of the logical problem of evil on the field of philosophy of religion and the continued efforts to address this fundamental challenge to the traditional conception of God.

Related terms

Theodicy:

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

Omnipotence: Omnipotence refers to the belief that God is all-powerful and has the ability to do anything, including preventing or eliminating evil and suffering.

Omniscience: Omniscience is the belief that God is all-knowing and has perfect knowledge of all things, including the existence and nature of evil.