What is the Problem of Evil?

Question 1

What is the inconsistent triad?

Answer 1

This says that three beliefs cannot be held at the same time without contradiction

Question 2

What are the three beliefs of the inconsistent triad?

Answer 2

The existence of evil, the fact that God is all-loving and the fact that God is all-powerful

Question 3

Who created the inconsistent triad?

Answer 3

Epicurus

Question 4

What type of argument is the inconsistent triad?

Answer 4

An a-priori argument - if the premises are true then the conclusion follows

Question 5

What are solutions to this problem?

Answer 5

God is not totally powerful, not totally loving or evil is good for us - however this means God is not of classical theism

Question 6

What is natural evil?

Answer 6

That which causes suffering but does not come from any human wrongdoing, for example diseases and extreme weather

Question 7

What does Aquinas say about natural evil?

Answer 7

It is only evil when looked at through a human perspective

Question 8

What is moral evil?

Answer 8

That which causes suffering as a result of human wrongdoing, for example murder and war

Question 9

What does C.S Lewis say about moral evil?

Answer 9

If God were good, He would wish to make his creatures happy and if God were almighty He would be able to do this. But the creatures are not happy, therefore, God lacks either goodness, or power, or both.

Question 10

What does Schleiermacher say about moral evil?

Answer 10

A perfect world shouldn’t have so much wrongdoing so easily unless God allowed it