The Problem of Evil

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Peter Van Inwagen is a modern philosopher who has written many works on free will, religion and metaphysics. He is a Cardinal and lectures and writes on the problem of evil at the University of Notre Dame. He says that it is quite possible for God to have reasons that allow for evil to exist and these reasons outweigh the reasons for evil to not exist.[5] Just as someone has reasons to do something that may be conceived as morally wrong even though, from the doers perspective, the morally wrong act is much more desirable logically than not performing the act. Inwagen goes on to explain that the only defense that he sees succeeding is the free-will defense. Essentially the free will defense describes why God cannot control free will as it would not in reality be “free.” It would be like trying to make 2+2=5 or create a round triangle.[6] Humans have the choice because of free will and sometimes they choose evil. God cannot both give us free will and force us to choose between doing good and doing evil. The defense then states a few objections such as natural disaster evils like an earthquake. These evils are not a result of free will. This would mean that the free will defense can’t explain all evil but only a finite amount of it. Peter Van Inwagen then constructs his own defense story that states that if humans have free will then they also have the choice to not love God since love is an aspect of free will. Since humans have the choice to not love Him, He creates the need for humans to cooperate with him, to need to be rescued as being separated from God means a world of horrors. God must show us that he shields us and that choosing good is what is best. Another way to put it is that God allows these evils to help us gain knowledge that is a necessity for us to follow His path. Otherwise we would have a horrible history of war and pain. Inwagen also points out that much of evil is due to chance.[7] There is no reason or explanation for certain evils to happen to certain people. This means a world where innocent people die and where people die for no reason what so ever. There is no real reason to negate any of his defense. Everything he says has a possibility and can’t be falsified. How strong is it? Inwagen’s defense may have possibility but it has holes as do most philosophical explanations. For example, why can’t God give us knowledge without making us suffer but instead allow us to have visions or nightmares of such suffering so we in turn try to avoid these visions? Aside from points in his story where we must assume certain parts, it is in fact possible for his defense to be true. Even Inwagen himself states that he believes parts of it and simply doesn’t disbelieve others. So we can see that though his case holds weight, it is not entirely probable.

In this writers own humble opinion the problem of evil is a difficult and profound topic that human beings may never find a true answer to. Perhaps when we die, and if we do go to the gates of Heaven, we will get our answer. For now, though, the problem of evil is best answered as follows. God has created evil in an attempt to curve our free will. Thus there can be no good without evil and no evil without good. There would just be null. An empty, eventless, blank world where everything is gray. This would be a less “good” world than one with evil. I suppose evil must have a purpose, then. As Inwagen explained how God uses evil to teach us appreciation for Him, He must also use evil to teach us of love and care. Good things are brought to light because of the evil in this world. I suppose every answer we give may be correct in one way or another. Inwagen certainly has what appears to be a defense for God that follows the three propositions, that God is omnipotent, he exists, and evil exists.

Bibliography

Feinberg, Joel, and Russ Shafer-Landau. Reason and Responsibility. 15. Edited by Florence Kilgo. Boston: Clark Baxter, 2013.

McBrayer, Kenny Boyce & Justin. Van Inwagen on the Problem of Evil: the Good, the Bad and the Ugly. 2007. http://www.baylor.edu/content/services/document.php/41162.pdf (accessed 12 1, 2013).

Speaks, Jeff. Mackie on the problem of evil. february 23, 2006. http://www3.nd.edu/~jspeaks/courses/mcgill/201/mackie-evil.html#x1-50002.2 (accessed 12 1, 2013).

Tooley, Micheal. 11 30, 2012. http://plato.stanford.edu/entries/evil/ (accessed 12 1, 2013).

Woodhouse, Mark B. A Preface to Philosophy. 9th. Edited by Joann Kozyrev. Boston: Clark Baxter, 2013.

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