Problem Of Evil and Suffering

Question 1

What is natural and moral evil?

Answer 1

Natural - evil caused by the natural state of things, e.g. 2012 Indonesian earthquake - also illnesses and diseases.

Moral - refers to evils that have come about as a direct result of human intention and choices.

Question 2

What is the logical problem of evil?

Answer 2

Focuses on the inconsistent triad - put forward by Epicurus.

Based on fact that the God of classical theism is held is held to be omnipotent, omnibenevolent and omniscient.

Question 3

The problem of evil presents a number of possibilities …

Answer 3

• God knows about evil, wants to stop it but can’t stop evil in the world - not all powerful
• God knows about evil, is able to stop it, but does not want to stop evil in the world - not all loving

God can stop evil and wants to stop it but doesn’t know about the evil in the world - not all knowing

Question 4

What are the 4 premises of JL Mackie problem of logical inconsistency.

Answer 4

P1 God is ominipotent
P2 God is omniscient
P3 God is omnibenevolent
P4 Evil exists