The Logical Problem of Evil

J. L. Mackie

The argument is valid.

Every inference was checked by machine. Objection O1 stands against P2. So C1 is contested.

Open in the playground

flowchart TD
    classDef axiom fill:#f6efd9,stroke:#a8842a,color:#23212b;
    classDef premise fill:#e7edf7,stroke:#1f4e9c,color:#23212b;
    classDef deduction fill:#f3f4f1,stroke:#5b6b85,color:#23212b;
    classDef conclusion fill:#d6e1f3,stroke:#1f4e9c,stroke-width:3px,color:#23212b;
    classDef objection fill:#f7e3e1,stroke:#b3261e,color:#23212b;
    classDef reply fill:#f3f4f1,stroke:#7a5c2e,color:#23212b;
    classDef imported stroke-dasharray:4 3;
    classDef defeated fill:#f3f4f1,stroke:#b3261e,stroke-dasharray:6 3,color:#8a8796;
    classDef undecided stroke-dasharray:2 2;
    classDef overruled fill:#f3f4f1,stroke:#c9ccc6,color:#8a8796;
    Mackie(["Mackie: J. L. Mackie, Evil and Omnipotence, Mind<br/>64 (1955)"]):::axiom
    Theism(["Theism: God, if God exists, is omnipotent and<br/>wholly good."]):::axiom
    P1["<b>P1</b>: If God exists, God is omnipotent and<br/>wholly good.<br/><i>God → Omnipotent ∧ WhollyGood</i>"]:::premise
    P2["<b>P2</b>: An omnipotent, wholly good being would<br/>eliminate every evil.<br/><i>Omnipotent ∧ WhollyGood → ¬Evil</i>"]:::premise
    P3["<b>P3</b>: Evil exists.<br/><i>Evil</i>"]:::premise
    C1["<b>C1</b>: Therefore God does not exist.<br/><i>¬God</i>"]:::conclusion
    O1{{"<b>O1</b>: Free will defence (Plantinga, God,<br/>Freedom, and Evil, 1974): a world with<br/>free creatures who sometimes do wrong<br/>may be better than any world without<br/>them, and even omnipotence cannot make<br/>free creatures always choose well."}}:::objection
    R1{{"<b>R1</b>: Mackie: God could have made creatures<br/>who freely always choose the good."}}:::reply
    R2{{"<b>R2</b>: Plantinga: possibly every creature God<br/>could create suffers from transworld<br/>depravity, so such a world may not be<br/>within God's power to actualize."}}:::reply
    class C1 defeated
    class P2 defeated
    class R1 overruled
    Theism -.-> P1
    Mackie -.-> P2
    Mackie -.-> P3
    P1 --> C1
    P2 --> C1
    P3 --> C1
    O1 -. objects .-> P2
    R1 -. replies .-> O1
    R2 -. replies .-> R1

Sources

Mackie

J. L. Mackie, Evil and Omnipotence, Mind 64 (1955)

Theism

God, if God exists, is omnipotent and wholly good.

The argument

Objections and replies