Outline the Logical Problem of Evil and explain why it is a problem for the thiest.


The Logical Problem of Evil alleges that there is a logical inconsistency between the existence of God, as traditionally conceived, and the existence of evil. The formalised version of the argument reads:A. If God is supremely good, then he has the desire to eliminate evil.B. If God is omnipotent, then he is able to eliminate evil.C. If God is omniscient, then he knows that evil exists and knows how to eliminate it.D. Therefore, if God exists, and is supremely good, omnipotent and omniscient, then God will eliminate evil.E. Therefore, if a supremely good, omnipotent and omniscient God exists, evil does not exist.F. Evil exists.G. Therefore, a supremely good, omnipotent and omniscient God does not exist. To respond, the theist must deny one of the following claims as they cannot all be true:1. God is supremely good.2. God is omnipotent3. God is omniscient4. God exists5. Evil exists.If (1) is denied, then it can be argued that God is not supremely good, therefore does not have the desire to stop evil. If (2) is denied, God simply lacks the power to stop evil. If (3) is denied, God lacks the knowledge of evil's existence or the knowledge of how to stop it. Denying any of these immediately makes the concept of God logically compatible with the existence of evil, because in each case God has a characteristic or lack thereof which makes him unable or unwilling to act. However, denying any of these characteristics also puts the traditional concept of God in jeopardy.Furthermore, denying (4) rejects the central thiest belief, and denying (5) seems to be a rejection of reality. Thus, the theist only has undesirable options to choose from: either they reconceptualise God completely or deny His existence.

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