Explain the Problem of Evil

Philosophy 101-005

Final exam essay

December 19, 2010

Q) Explain the problem of evil and how the theodicy presented in A Dialogue on Good, Evil and the existence of God attempts to cope with this problem.

The problem of good and evil raised asking how is it possible for God to exist and for evil to exist in the same world since that idea seems to contradict each other. Then problem of divine foreknowledge is also risen questioning that if God exist and is omniscient meaning he knows everything the question is raised if we have freewill since Gods knows should know everything that we will choose.

To understand the problem of good and evil we first need to define what is meant by the term God. God is said to be infinite and possess every perfection which means that he has no limitations. God is Omnipotent he has power and power is a perfection hence God possesses infinite power which means he has great and or unlimited power. God is omniscience he has knowledge and knowledge is a perfection hence God possesses unlimited knowledge. God is Omni benevolent he has goodness and goodness is a perfection hence God possesses infinite goodness, he is all good.

Gretchen raises the issue of the problem of evil. If God exists and he is omnipotent, omniscient and Omni benevolent. Then he knows that Gretchen is sick and suffering, he has the power to prevent her from suffering and God being Omni benevolent should not want her to suffer. Then, Gods is not omnipotent, omniscient and Omni benevolent or he does not exist if he does not stop Gretchen suffering. To show that the statement p: God exists and q: evil exists in the same world the argument has to be shown.

Sam then presents an argument to show Gretchen that existence of God is compatible with the existence of evil. In his argument (Sam’s) he states that the world can have a little evil or a lot in it, as God created a perfect world and if the world is perfect then removing or changing any of its parts would...