problem of evil
Why suffering exists
The problem of evil is a philosophical challenge to belief in an all-powerful, all-knowing, and benevolent God: if such a being exists, why does suffering occur?
The argument holds that evil's existence is logically incompatible with—or at least strong evidence against—traditional theism.
Theologians and philosophers have proposed various theodicies in response, attempting to reconcile divine goodness with human and natural suffering.
Violation of divine law
- devilEvil supernatural entity
- hellUnderworld of suffering
- damnationEternal punishment decree
- demonMalevolent supernatural being
fallen · temptation · redemption · salvation · judgment · faith · doubt · apostasy
Autonomous choice capacity
- omnipotenceUnlimited universal power
- omniscienceUnlimited knowledge state
- benevolenceDisposition toward doing good
- divine justiceSacred moral reckoning
afterlife · original sin · fall of man · predestination · divine plan · greater good · Leibniz · Epicurus
Bodily or emotional distress
- anguishIntense mental suffering
- tormentSevere prolonged suffering
- miseryIntense prolonged distress
- tragedyDisastrous or sorrowful event
trauma · affliction · grief · distress · calamity · disaster · catastrophe · woe
Seemingly absurd truth
- contradictionOpposing claims, incompatible together
- dilemmaForced choice between undesirables
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
- refutationDisproving a statement
objection · premise · conclusion · logical · incompatible · inconsistent · coherence · rationality
sin
Violation of divine law
demon · fallen · temptation · redemption · salvation · judgment · faith · doubt · apostasy · atheism
free will
Autonomous choice capacity
- omnipotenceUnlimited universal power
- omniscienceUnlimited knowledge state
- benevolenceDisposition toward doing good
divine justice · afterlife · original sin · fall of man · predestination · divine plan · greater good · Leibniz · Epicurus · Hume
pain
Bodily or emotional distress
tragedy · trauma · affliction · grief · distress · calamity · disaster · catastrophe · woe · misfortune
paradox
Seemingly absurd truth
- contradictionOpposing claims, incompatible together
- dilemmaForced choice between undesirables
- argumentReasoned case or dispute
refutation · objection · premise · conclusion · logical · incompatible · inconsistent · coherence · rationality · existence of God
- Faith and Sciencefaith and reason, intelligent design, creationism, creation science, evolution debate
- Famous Problemstraveling salesman, Monty Hall, prisoner's dilemma, continuum hypothesis, ship of Theseus
- paradoxescatch-22, Zeno's paradox, Zeno's paradoxes, causal loop, bootstrap paradox
- ApologeticsGod's existence, moral arguments, theism, Thomas Aquinas, Aquinas
- atheist argumentsburden of proof, lack of evidence, unfalsifiability
- religious criticismbiblical criticism, theodicy, contradictions, hypocrisy, dogmatism
problem, problems, problematic, problematical, problematically, evil, evils, evilly, evilness