Notes for 2/2/2026

 2/2/2026
[Philosophy Club every Monday, 4-5 pm, in the Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences room 436 ("The Cave")]
[Challenge for today: Try to think of (and possibly ask) at least one question.]

If you could change one thing about the world, what would it be?
 
Argument from Evil

Logical Argument from Evil – It is logically impossible that both God and evil exist

Traditional attributes of God (despite being beyond understanding):
Omnipotent = all-powerful
Omniscient = all-knowing
Omnibenevolent = all-good


“Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able? Then he is not omnipotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Then whence cometh evil? Is he neither able nor willing? Then why call him God?” (Epicurus)


A being B is omnipotent =df. If B wills some logically possible state of affairs S, then S exists.

Stone paradox: Can God create a stone too heavy for him to lift?
Suicide paradox: Could God commit suicide?



 
LAE:
1.    If God exists, God is omnipotent and omnibenevolent.
2.    If God is omnibenevolent, then he wills a world without evil.
3.    Evil exists in the world.
4.    A world without evil is logically possible.
5.    Therefore, God does not exist.

“Free Will Defense”

Most people know that free will is often invoked to counter the argument from evil.
But it isn’t immediately clear HOW free will helps.
LAE (above) is logically valid (structurally good). This means to reject the conclusion, at least one premise must be rejected as false (or at least doubtful). But which premise?

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