The problem of evil

Home > Religion > Theology > The problem of evil

Explore the question of why bad things happen to good people and why God allows suffering in the world.

The nature of evil: This topic explores different definitions and beliefs about what constitutes evil and what constitutes good.
The existence of God: This topic examines whether the existence of God is compatible with the existence of evil.
Free will: This topic considers the role of free will in creating evil and how it relates to responsibility.
Theodicies: Theodicies are explanations given for why God would allow evil to exist. Various theodicies include the Free Will Defense, the Soul-Making Defense, and the Best of All Possible Worlds Defense.
Moral relativism vs. moral absolutism: This topic examines the differing views on whether morality is objective or subjective.
Natural evil vs. moral evil: This topic distinguishes between evils caused by natural occurrences and those caused by human actions.
Suffering and its meaning: This topic explores the meaning and significance of suffering in relation to the problem of evil.
Eschatology: Eschatology is the study of the end times and the ultimate destiny of humanity. This topic may consider whether there will be a final resolution to the problem of evil.
The problem of evil as a challenge to faith: This topic explores how the problem of evil has been used by skeptics and atheists to challenge religious faith.
The problem of evil in different traditions: The problem of evil is a topic of concern in many different religious and philosophical traditions. This topic may explore how different traditions approach and respond to the problem of evil.
Logical Problem of Evil: This type argues that the existence of evil is logically incompatible with the existence of an all-powerful, all-knowing, and all-good God.
Evidential Problem of Evil: This type claims that although the existence of evil may not be logically incompatible with the existence of a good and powerful God, the sheer quantity and intensity of evil in the world provides strong evidence against God's existence or goodness.
Theological Problem of Evil: This type examines how different theological systems (such as Calvinism, Arminianism, or Process Theology) deal with the problem of evil.
Natural Evil: This type focuses on the problem posed by natural disasters, diseases, and other naturally-occurring phenomena that cause suffering and death.
Moral Evil: This type deals with human actions that cause harm to others, including murder, theft, and abuse.
Gratuitous Evil: This type refers to evil that seems pointless, random, or without justification, such as the suffering of innocent children.
Adversarial Problem of Evil: This type suggests that the existence of evil is necessary for human beings to exercise their free will and develop moral character.
Eschatological Problem of Evil: This type explores how various religious traditions envision the ultimate resolution of the problem of evil, such as through the afterlife, divine judgment, or cosmic reconciliation.
Cultural Problem of Evil: This type examines how different cultural perspectives shape our understanding of evil, including how evil is defined, who is considered responsible for its existence, and how it can be addressed.
"The problem of evil is the question of how to reconcile the existence of evil and suffering with an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient God."
"It was popularized by David Hume."
"Theology and ethics."
"There are also many discussions of evil and associated problems in other philosophical fields, such as secular ethics, and evolutionary ethics."
"Refutations, defenses, and theodicies."
"The problem of evil is generally formulated in two forms: the logical problem of evil and the evidential problem of evil."
"The logical form of the argument tries to show a logical impossibility in the coexistence of a god and evil."
"The evidential form tries to show that given the evil in the world, it is improbable that there is an omnipotent, omniscient, and a wholly good god."
"The problem of evil has been extended to non-human life forms, to include animal suffering from natural evils and human cruelty against them." Unfortunately, the given paragraph does not provide specific quotes that directly correspond to the remaining study questions. It mainly presents an overview of the problem of evil without delving into more detailed explanations or examples.