Logical Problem of Evil

Possibly originating with Greek philosopher Epicurus, Hume summarizes Epicarus' version of the problem of evil as follows: "Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then from whence comes evil?"

The logical problem from evil is as follows:

P1. If an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient god exists, then evil does not.

P2. There is evil in the world.

C1. Therefore, an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient god does not exist.

This argument is in the form modus tollens: If the premise (P1) is true, the conclusion (C1) follows of necessity. To show that the first premise is plausible, subsequent versions tend to expand it, such as this modern example:

P1a. God exists.

P1b. God is omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient.

P1c. An omnipotent being has the power to prevent that evil from coming into existence.

P1d. An omnibenevolent being would want to prevent all evils.

P1e. An omniscient being knows every way in which evils can come into existence, and knows every way in which those evils could be prevented.

P1f. A being who knows every way in which evil can come into existence, and who wants to do so, would prevent the existence of that evil.

P1. If there is an omnipotent, omnibenevolent, and omniscient God, then no evil exists.

P2. Evil exists (logical contradiction).

Both of these arguments are understood to be presenting two forms of the "logical" problem of evil. They attempt to show that the assumed premises lead to a logical contradiction that cannot all be correct. Most philosophical debate has focused on the suggestion that God would want to prevent all evils and therefore cannot coexist with any evils (premises P1d and P1f), but there are existing responses (such as Platinga's response to P1c) to every premise, with defenders of theism (for example St Augustine and Leibniz) arguing that God could exist and allow evil.

If God lacks any one of these qualities--omniscience, omnipotence, and omnibenevolence--then the logical problem of evil can be resolved. Process theology and open theism are modern positions that limit God's omnipotence and omniscience (as defined in traditional theology) based on free will in others.

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