The Philosophical Problem of Evil and Theistic Responses
The Traditional Problem of Evil
The existence of God has sometimes been justified from a cosmological point of view (based on the nature of the world). There are some features that serve as evidence that God exists, such as the complexity of world order and its manifestation. But while the world exhibits order and beauty, it is also full of misfortune, adversity, suffering, degradation, and injustice.
Much of this evil is practiced by some individuals against others. But there is also natural evil, which refers to natural disasters that are not of human origin. Believing that evil exists in the created world, which is supposedly under the care of an omnipotent and loving God, is problematic. The presence of evil can also be considered a problem for the understanding of the world itself.
In its simplest form, the problem of evil asserts that the suffering of the innocent is proof that there is no God who is all-good, all-powerful, and omniscient.
The World as a Whole
Theistic philosophers deny that the traditional problem of evil proves that God does not exist. They argue that God being omnipotent and all-merciful does not necessarily mean that God desires to prevent every individual instance of suffering, even if God could do so. The possession of these attributes might only necessitate the creation of a world that is morally good as a whole.
Perhaps the elimination of pain in humans would have made the world, in general, morally poorer. We assume that God possesses knowledge of the world’s complexities. Everything that happens is part of a morally good result when viewed in its entirety.
The Free Will Defense
The Free Will Defense provides a theistic explanation for some of the evil in the world. The argument is often stated as follows:
“God, in His will, gave people free will. It is not His fault if we misuse it, causing harm to others. The damage done freely by us is not attributed to God.”
This defense faces several objections:
Objections to the Free Will Defense
- Natural Evil: Natural evil and the human misery resulting from it are not a misuse of free will. Only some disasters are attributed to human free will. The remaining natural evils, which cause the loss of innocent people, suggest that the universe is not designed solely for human benefit.
- Attendant Circumstances: When human beings use their free will to achieve desired results, success often depends on appropriate circumstances. If God is omniscient, He knows which events enable certain acts of free will to have terrible effects. If God is all-powerful, He could perhaps influence the situation every time a person acts freely, causing unnecessary pain.
- Divine Intervention: God could intervene without depriving people of free will. If God had always intervened throughout history, perhaps the free will of people would not have had such terrible consequences. In failing to prevent serious consequences, God might be considered partially responsible.
- Divine Prescience: Although human beings are free to make their actions, divine foreknowledge (prescience) is knowledge of all results. This could lead to considering God morally responsible for the evil He expected people to cause, potentially undermining the idea that humans are acting truly freely.