Logical Problem of Evil
The logical problem of evil emerges from four core propositions:
- An all-powerful (omnipotent) God could prevent evil from existing in the world.
- An all-knowing (omniscient) God would know that there was evil in the world.
- An all-good (omnibenevolent) God would wish to prevent evil from existing in the world.
- There is evil in the world.
As J. L. Mackie has highlighted, there would appear to be a contradiction between these propositions such that they cannot all be true. Given that the fourth proposition would appear to be undeniable, it can be inferred from the above that one of the other three must be false, and thus there cannot be an all-good, all-knowing and all-powerful God. To put it another way, if God does exist, He must be either "impotent, ignorant or wicked".
The problem, and various solutions to it, have been debated by philosophers since at least the time of Epicurus in the fourth century BC. One of the most historically significant replies to the problem is the free will theodicy of Augustine of Hippo, which has been extensively criticized.
Read more about this topic: Alvin Plantinga's Free Will Defense
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