The Problem of Evil

• What is Natural Evil?

  Evil or suffering caused by the world, i.e. natural disaster, earthquake, tsunami
• What is Moral Evil?

  Evil or suffering caused by human choice, i.e. war, murder, famine

  • Could be due to our Fall from Eden
• The Logical Problem: Epicurus + Mackie, A priori, deductive argument. Inconsistent triad: God can't be omni's whilst evil exists, creates self-contradicting God

  
• The Evidential Problem: Hume + Rowe, A posteriori, inductive argument. Perhaps God doesnt hold traditional values we thought/has a reason for causing evil
• Augustinian Theodicy: We created evil and therefore deserve to suffer our consquences, Adam and Eve created original sin. Evil doesn't exist, it's just a privation (absense) of good - "privato boni"
• The Irenean Theodicy: God allows evil as it acts as a 'soul-making process'. Good people choose good>evil, we must overcome the battles thrown at us.
• Criticisms: (Irenean Theodicy) Do we really deserve children dying/genocide/war? seems cruel and excessive over soul-making