Hilary Fuller

Atkinson PHIL 2350-001

Final Paper Fall 2014
The Problem of Evil
Over time scientists, philosophers, and the common man have sought out the
means by which they, and the world around them, were created. An ultimate being, or
God, has been one explanation for existence, and this beings existence has been
questioned as well. God, being defined as an omniscient, omnibenevolent, and
omnipotent being, is the topic of discussion with theists and atheists. The problem of
evil is an argument against the existence of god. The problem of evil is the problem of
reconciling the existence of evil in the world with the existence of an omniscient,
omnipotent and perfectly good God1. Within this reconciliation the atheist approach
bases its argument on the idea that because evil exists that a god, defined as such,
cannot exist as well. Because the problem of evil exists atheists are able to support their
claim of God being a fictional being through deductive reasoning and the concept of evil
being understood across cultures.
While there is no set idea or definition of evil, what is evil is generally understood.
Even though people may differ on the definition of evil, they agree widely on what
states of affairs count as being evil2. This statement shows that the concept of what is
evil is commonsense, but it also helps to divide that concept in the categories of moral
and natural evil. Moral evil contains the wrongful and hurtful acts as well as the bad

http://www.philosophyofreligion.info/arguments-for-atheism/the-problem-of-evil/
Hasker, William, Bruce Reichenbach, and David Basinger. Reason & Religious Belief. By Michael Peterson. Fifth ed.
New York: Oxford UP, 2013. 179.
2

character traits of free human beings3. Moral evil is the lying, stealing, raping,
murdering qualities of mankind. Natural evil covers the physical pain and suffering that
result from either impersonal forces or unintentional human actions4. This evil entails
natural disasters like flooding and earthquakes, as well as famines, disease, and
disabilities. While people do not know where this evil is coming from or why it is
happening, they know it is there. Because of this fact, the problem of evil becomes
convincing in regards to atheism. Evil exists, bad things happen, that is certain. God
can be certain but is not as plain as day as the evil that goes on in daily life.
The formal argument of the logical and evidential problem of evil also helps in
explaining the validity of the atheist argument. The Standford Encyclopedia of
Philosophy demonstrates the formula as such:
1- If God exists, then God is omnipotent, omniscient, and morally perfect.
2- If God is omnipotent, then God has the power to eliminate all evil.
3- If God is omniscient, then God knows when evil exists.
4- If God is morally perfect, then God has the desire to eliminate all evil.
5- Evil exists.
6- If evil exists and God exists, then either God doesnt have the power to
eliminate all evil, or doesnt know when evil exists, or doesnt have the
desire to eliminate all evil.
7- Therefore, God doesnt exist.5

Hasker, William, Bruce Reichenbach, and David Basinger. Reason & Religious Belief. By Michael Peterson. Fifth ed.
New York: Oxford UP, 2013. 179.
4
Hasker, William, Bruce Reichenbach, and David Basinger. Reason & Religious Belief. By Michael Peterson. Fifth ed.
New York: Oxford UP, 2013. 179.
5
http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/evil/

In the logical problem of evil, if the conclusion of God doesnt exist were
changed to God exists it would create a logical contradiction. For each premise to be
true the conclusion must be true. Because God is defined within the context of being
the strongest, smartest, and morally perfect, evil existing in whatever world we live in
contradicts the existence of God. On the other hand, the evidential problem of evil
contents that some known fact about evil is evidence against the existence of God6.
This shows that the evidential perspective does not view this formula as an actual
logical contradiction but that it shows that the likelihood of God existing becomes less
plausible. Evil exists but it does not completely exclude the possibility of God but the
evidence could stack up against it.
Another theory brought up within the problem of evil is the idea of the
hiddenness of God or divine hiddenness. This concept relies on the contention that
if God exists and evil is happening why this God would choose to not reveal himself. It
seems harsh for an all power, all knowing, all loving god to refuse to show himself to his
subjects if this revealing of himself would solve the problems of the world.

The idea

divine hiddenness shows that considering God exists, there is no good reason for him to
hide, which must mean that he is either a deadbeat father, that he is inept, or that he is
weak and incapable. Evil exists in the world and the one being that could solve all of
those problems chooses to stay behind closed doors.

http://infidels.org/library/modern/nontheism/atheism/evil.html

On the other hand, divine hiddenness in relation to the problem of evil could
demonstrate why the problem of evil even exists. Michael Rea responds the idea of
divine hiddenness with four concepts:
1- God does not show himself to those who sin and do not believe in him.
2- God does not show himself so mankind can keep integrity in choosing
him.
3- God hides to see those who desire after him.
4- Gods nature is to commune rather than communicate with his subjects.
With this response it shows that free will is given to mankind and by God
revealing himself to his subjects it eliminates the option of free will. If God becomes a
certain knowledge then all of the choices that we make become directed towards that
certain knowledge and the will to choose is taken away. Evil exists, whether it be moral
or natural, but if God were to step in with his all-powerful, all-knowing, all-loving self he
would be taking away the greatest gift he has given us: free will.
In assessing the convincing nature of the problem of evil in relation to atheism,
the opposing views must be considered. The theory of divine hiddenness addressed
the pros and cons of a hidden God and his relationship to evil. Both sides show valid
points which does not allow for a proper decision on the validity of the problem of evil.
When it comes to the logical problem of evil, Alvin Plantingas free will response
refutes the logical contradiction found in the formal structure. Platingas defense states
that even though God is omnipotent, it is possible that it was not in his power to create
a world containing moral good but no moral evil; therefore, there is no logical

inconsistency involved when God, although wholly good, creates a world of free
creatures who chose to do evil7. All Platinga had to do to refute the claim made in the
logical problem of evil was create a new proposition that it was, in fact, logically possible
for God and evil to coexist. He does so in his moral good verses moral evil defense but
it does not to fully explain why God would allow things like pedophilia, murder, famines,
and disease to happen.
In the case of the evidential problem of evil, the basis of this argument is that
there is not enough evidence to push the observer over either side of the fence. No
defenses are made to address this problem because its purpose is to prove that the
existence of God and evil is implausible, rather than logically impossible. Therefore,
theodicies (or theories made to justify God in the light of evil8) have been created to
explain how evil and God can coexist.
These justifications or defenses put in place by those looking to explain away the
problem of evil in relation to the atheist perspective seem to forget the simple fact that
evil does exist. The basic viewpoint of that argument is that because evil exists a truly
omniscient, omnipotent, and omnibenevolent God cannot exist at the same time. Moral
and natural evil are every day occurrences which only builds the case that if there were
a God these evils would cease to exist. There is an ultimate understanding of evil that
surpasses cultures, daily evidence of evil existing, and deductive logical arguments

Peterson, Michael; Hasker, William; Reichenbach, Bruce; Basinger, David (1991). Reason and Religious Belief.
Oxford University Press 130-133
8
http://www.philosophypages.com/dy/t.htm#theod

against God and evil coexisting. With these premises, the problem of evil is effective in
relation to the ideas of atheism.