1. The Problem of Evil

2. The Argument God is omnipotent and benevolent
He could make the world good if He wanted to and He does want to
The world is good
The world is not good – so where’s God?

3. The Argument P1. God is benevolent
P2. A benevolent being wants the world to be without evil
C1. God wants the world to be without evil

4. The Argument P3. God is omniscient. (God knows everything.)
C2. God knows how to make the world to be without evil

5. The Argument P4. God is omnipotent.
P5. An omnipotent being can do whatever it knows how to do
C2. God knows how to make the world to be without evil
C3. God can make the world to be without evil

6. The Argument C1. God wants the world to be without evil
C3. God can make the world to be without evil
P6. If a being wants to do something, and it can do that thing, then it will do it.
C4. God will make the world to be without evil

7. The Argument C4. God will make the world to be without evil
C5. If there is a God then the world is without evil

8. The Argument C5. If there is a God then the world is without evil
P7. There is evil in the world
C6. There is no God

9. Objections Should the World be without Evil?
Perhaps the best world has some evil in it
Seems to be too much evil for that

10. Objections Free Will is the source of Evil
Our freedom is part of the goodness of the world
God could make us free and good

11. Objections The world is the source of Evil Maybe the Devil’s to blame
If Free Will operates according to reason, the world must work according to rules, and those rules will produce some evil.
Leibnitz: Everything is for the best in the best of all possible worlds

12. Objections Evil is a source of goods
There’s too much evil to be justified this way