The Problem Of Evil And Its Philosophical Significance

The Problem of Evil and Its Philosophical Significance

Before starting your essay, you should read this entire document as well as the information in the ‘Essay Assignments: Grading Criteria and Helpful Information’ folder. The articles given below are from The New York Times. Non-subscribers are limited to the number of articles they can read, but the Richland Library has full access to The New York Times. You can access The New York Times via this DCCCD Library web page.

Topic #1: The Problem of Evil Chapter 3 of our text deals with the problem of evil. Read this article from The New York Times and write an essay that connects the article to the philosophical problem of evil. Your essay must include reference to chapter 3 of our text as well as at least one reference to an article/entry in either The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy or The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, through quotation and/or paraphrase. Rather than your opinion on the problem of evil, your essay should be a discussion of the problem of evil.

Paper For Above instruction

The Problem of Evil and Its Philosophical Significance

The problem of evil has long been a central issue in philosophy, religion, and theology, posing challenging questions about the coexistence of an omnipotent, omnibenevolent God with the existence of evil and suffering in the world. The New York Times article titled "The Rising Tide of Suffering" spotlights recent global crises—such as natural disasters, wars, and pandemics—that exemplify profound human and natural suffering. This article provides contemporary context to the ancient and ongoing philosophical debate concerning why evil exists if an all-powerful and all-good deity also exists.

In Chapter 3 of our textbook, the problem of evil is examined as a philosophical dilemma that questions whether God's omnipotence and omnibenevolence are compatible with the presence of evil. The chapter distinguishes between natural evil, such as earthquakes and diseases, and moral evil, such as war and genocide. It discusses several theodicies—defenses or explanations allegedly offered by religious traditions—such as the free will defense and the soul-making theodicy. A classic formulation of the problem is the logical problem of evil, famously presented by Epicurus and later elaborated by David Hume, which argues that the existence of evil is incompatible with the existence of an all-good, all-powerful God.

From a philosophical perspective, the problem questions whether God's omnipotence entails the ability to eliminate evil, and whether God's omnibenevolence entails a desire to do so. The existence of suffering, particularly as described in the article, seems to challenge such attributes. However, some philosophers argue that evil has a greater purpose—such as free will or soul-making—permitting a world where genuine moral choices are possible, which arguably outweighs the suffering caused by evil (Plantinga, 1974).

According to the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (SEP), theodicies like the free will defense attempt to resolve this conflict by arguing that free will necessarily entails the possibility of moral evil, and that a world with genuine free agency is more valuable than a deterministic, evil-free world (F responding to the problem of evil). This explanation does not eliminate natural evil, which the article highlights as a source of ongoing crisis and suffering. Natural evil presents a particular difficulty, as traditional theodicies struggle to account for suffering caused by natural disasters without diminishing God's omnipotence or benevolence.

The article underscores that in recent times, natural tragedies have overwhelmed communities and elicited questions about divine justice and the problem of evil. Some philosophers suggest that such natural evil is ultimately a consequence of the laws of nature, which, while necessary for a stable universe, can produce destructive events. The notion, as discussed by William Rowe (1979), is that natural evil serves a purpose in the natural order, and its existence does not necessarily imply a deficiency in divine goodness if such suffering is a result of natural laws that allow for a greater good, such as human growth and moral development.

In conclusion, the problem of evil remains a profound philosophical challenge that is vividly illustrated by ongoing global suffering depicted in modern journalism. While traditional theodicies provide some explanations, the intense and widespread nature of natural evil continues to fuel debate. Through discussions in philosophy, as reflected in our textbook and sources like the SEP, we gain a more nuanced understanding of this issue. The dialogue between faith, reason, and evidence, remains central to grappling with the problem of evil in contemporary contexts.

References

• Hume, D. (1779). Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion.
• Plantinga, A. (1974). The Nature of Necessity. Oxford University Press.
• Rowe, W. (1979). “Natural Evil,” in The Journal of Philosophy, 76(9), 251-256.
• The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. “The Problem of Evil.” Retrieved from https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/evil/
• The Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy. “Theodicy.” Retrieved from https://iep.utm.edu/theodicy/
• “The Rising Tide of Suffering.” The New York Times. Retrieved from [insert URL].