Problems of Evil | Philosophy Optional Notes for UPSC PDF Download

The Problem of Evil: Theological Perspectives and Justifications

1. God is omnipotent.
2. God is all-good.
3. Evil exists, both natural and moral.

If any two of these propositions are true, it seems the third must be false, creating a theological dilemma.

II. Instrumentalist View: 
1. Evolutionary Worldview: Some theists argue that the world is inherently evolutionary, resulting in a hierarchical order of beings. Within this framework, both physical and moral evil are seen as inherent features of "the best possible world," where all things work together for the greater good.

2. Prophylactic and Punitive Evil: Evil can serve as a warning against danger or punishment for disobedience, reminding humans of their limitations in relation to God.

3. Moral Excellence and Virtues: Suffering is considered essential for the development of moral excellence, instilling virtues like patience, tolerance, sympathy, and honesty.

4. Necessity for the Realization of Good: Some argue that evil, in the form of suffering, is essential for appreciating goodness. Just as light is best appreciated after experiencing darkness, evil is necessary for the realization of good.

5. Sin and Natural Calamities: Natural calamities are viewed as consequences of human sins, with sin defined as disobeying God's order.

6. Illusion of Evil: Some argue that evil is not a positive existence but rather a privation of good. In this view, evil ultimately transforms into good.

• Critics argue that nature is non-ethical and does not inherently serve a moral purpose, leading to inequalities and suffering that are seemingly random.
• The proportionate distribution of happiness and suffering does not align with a just and omnipotent creator.
• Even if suffering serves a purpose, the question of determining the proper measure of evil necessary for maximum good remains unanswered.

III. Free-Willist View: According to this perspective, God is both infinitely good and omnipotent, but His omnipotence is defined as the power to do everything logically possible. Free will is the key to understanding moral evil.

1. God's Purpose: God, out of creative love, made creatures to become co-creators with Him. This requires moral agents to choose freely between right and wrong, which inherently carries the risk of choosing evil. God is not responsible for moral evil; it arises from human choices.

2. Role of Free Will: Free will is essential for the evolution of moral agents who can freely choose to obey God's will.

• Critics argue that God's omnipotence is challenged if He cannot control created free will, or that He is not truly omnipotent if He cannot change the created order.
• The concept of God's omniscience raises questions about His foreknowledge and the creation of free will with the knowledge of inevitable sin.

IV. Resolution and Ultimate Purpose: Free-willists argue that the supreme end of the universe is to transform humans into co-creators with God, and this can only happen when free will aligns with God's will. The goal is to merge human free will with God's free will, making it holy through obedience to God even in the face of temptation.

Conclusion: The problem of evil remains a complex theological issue with various perspectives and justifications. While it challenges the notion of an omnipotent and all-good God, theological explanations seek to reconcile this apparent contradiction through concepts like moral development, free will, and the ultimate purpose of human existence.

Supplementary Reading: The Problem of Evil and Theodicies

In monotheistic religions, the existence of a divine being who is wholly good, all-knowing, and all-powerful poses a significant challenge when confronted with the presence of evil in the world. This challenge questions why a benevolent, omniscient, and omnipotent God would allow any evil to exist. Theodicies are attempts to provide explanations for this apparent paradox and offer justifications for why God allows or brings about evil.

1. The Problem of Evil and Theodicies: The problem of evil challenges the notion of a perfectly good, all-knowing, and all-powerful God coexisting with evil. If such a God exists, there should be no evil. Theodicies aim to address this issue by explaining why God permits or causes evil in a world where His existence is assumed.
2. The Punishment Theodicy: According to the punishment theodicy, God allows or brings about evil as a form of punishment for sin. However, this theodicy faces significant challenges, as much suffering cannot reasonably be justified as punishment. For instance, it is difficult to accept that a five-year-old deserves to be punished through rape and beating. Likewise, a 70-year-old who has committed no serious crimes and is not an extraordinary sinner does not seem to deserve excruciating pain and death as punishment for wrongdoing.
3. John Hick's Soul-Making Theodicy: John Hick presents an alternative perspective to the traditional view of human creation and fall from perfection. He rejects the idea of humans being created in a perfect state and then falling away. Instead, Hick argues that human beings are unfinished and are in the process of becoming all that God intended them to be.
4. Evolutionary Process and Soul-Making: Hick posits that the evolutionary process shaped humans into a species capable of reason and responsibility, but this is not the end of their development. Humans must go through a second process of "spiritualization" or "soul-making," during which they become "children of God." According to Hick, the suffering, trials, and temptations in life are integral to the divine plan of soul-making.
5. A World of Suffering and Soul-Making: Hick's theodicy suggests that a world filled with suffering, challenges, and temptations is more conducive to the process of soul-making than a world of constant pleasure and the absence of pain. In this view, suffering and trials serve as opportunities for personal growth and spiritual development, ultimately bringing individuals closer to becoming what God intended them to be.

Theodicies, such as the punishment theodicy and John Hick's soul-making theodicy, aim to offer explanations for why a benevolent and all-powerful God might allow or bring about evil. While they do not resolve all the complexities of the problem of evil, they provide theological frameworks for understanding the coexistence of a good God and the existence of evil and suffering in the world.