Leibniz and the Problem of Evil - 3712 Words

LEIBNIZ’S CONCEPTION OF THE PROBLEM OF EVIL BY OKOJIE E. PETER epo4escriva@yahoo.com MAY 2013 INTRODUCTION For many centuries, philosophers have been discussing evil, how it exists in the world, and how this relates to God. The discussion on evil and its relations to us is not an easy one though. It is commonly called the problem of evil. The problem of evil in contemporary philosophy is generally regarded as an argument for atheism. The atheist contends that God and evil are incompatible, and given that evil clearly exists, God cannot exist. The problem is generally used to disprove God’s existence by showing an inconsistency between an all-powerful, all-good, and all-knowing God; and the existence of evil. Philosophers over the centuries†¦show more content†¦These passions, like great winds, have blown me hither and thither, in a wayward course, over a deep ocean of anguish, reaching to the very verge of despair. Love and knowledge, so far as they were possib le, led upward toward the heavens. But always pity brought me back to earth. Echoes of cries of pain reverberate in my heart. Children in famine, victims tortured by oppressors, helpless old people a hated burden to their sons, and the whole world of loneliness, poverty, and pain make a mockery of what human life should be. I long to alleviate the evil, but I cannot, and I too suffer.3 The Greek philosopher Epicurus is most likely the first recognized philosopher to ask how the existence of evil could be compatible with the nature of God (The Wrath of God 13).4 According to Epicurean philosophy, the notions of good and evil are identified with pleasure and pain respectively. The Epicurean claim is that only pleasure is good. Accordingly, this translates into â€Å"pursue pleasure (good) and avoid pain (evil).†5 David Hume in Dialogues Concerning Natural Religion says of Epicurus: â€Å"Epicurus’ old questions are yet unanswered. Is he (God) willing to prevent evil, bu t not able? Then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? Whence then is evil?†6 Even if Epicurus is regarded as the first to raiseShow MoreRelatedThe Existence Of God And The Battle Between Good And Evil1386 Words   |  6 PagesThe existence of God and the battle between good and evil has been a topic of much discussion for centuries. Through the philosophical scope, there is a â€Å"Problem of Evil† that challenges the existence an all-powerful God if there is evil in the world. Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, was a German philosopher who argued about the topic of the problem of evil. Leibniz argued that (1) evil is not necessary; (2) that there is evil in the world because as humans we are restricted in our knowledge since we areRead MoreEssay on The Problem with Evil in Religion1259 Words   |  6 PagesThe problem of evil is widely considered as the most detrimental problem to the monotheist. It is also the prim ary objection to the overall existence of God. The problem is very easy to comprehend: If God is an all-perfect, all-knowing, all-powerful deity then why do we live in a world with any imperfection or negativity at all? Why do bad things happen at all? Especially to the good people in the world and the millions of innocent people who suffer on a daily basis. Gottfreid Leibniz was a philosopherRead MoreThe Problem of Evil in Philosophy1684 Words   |  7 Pagesï » ¿The Problem of Evil in Philosophy What is the classic problem of evil in the Western philosophical/theological tradition (the trilemma)? The  problem of evil  is the question of how to reconcile the existence of evil with that of a deity who is omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent. The trilemma was stated by the Greek philosopher Epicurus during antiquity and was restated during the modern period by David Hume. Epicurus poses a trilemma in order to refute the notion of an omnipotent andRead MoreMr. L. Mackie s Evil And Omnipotence1718 Words   |  7 PagesJ. L. Mackie’s â€Å"Evil and Omnipotence† criticizes the argument that God exists by showing that religious beliefs are positively irrational and that parts of the essential theological doctrine are inconsistent with one another. The problem of evil is one of the oldest problems in philosophy. The problem of evil is a logical problem for only the people who believe that there is a God who is both (1) omnipotent and (2) wholly good; yet (3) evil exists in the world. If God is wholly good and omnipotentRead MoreGod Is Not The Creator Of Evil13 88 Words   |  6 PagesEvil exists in the world because of man’s poor choices not because God created it that way. God made man in His image and gave man the ability to choose between good and evil. He did not want to force us to love Him however man chose to disobey God and as a result evil entered the world. Genesis 1:27 KJV â€Å"So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.† â€Å"The phrase â€Å"The problem of evil† is a label of such problems involving both God andRead MoreBible Study: Lessons Learnt from Job Suffering756 Words   |  3 Pagesstrong belief on the justice of God accused God of injustice in the sense that He (God) was not adhering to his own rule considering Job believed that he has been faithful to God and has been careful to avoid any kind of evil. Such complaints against Gods indifferences to evil can be found in Jeremiah 12:14; Habakkuk 1:2-4, some psalms and Ecclesiastes. Just like the psalmist, Job had hope however that Justice will prevail; Job 19:25(For I know that my redeemer lives, And He shall stand at lastRead MoreEssay on Leibniz: The Father of Modern Calculus1208 Words   |  5 Pages Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz is an important figure in the history of philosophy and mathematics. Although his work was not fully appreciated during his day, he did much to advance the quot;thinkingquot; on a variety of subjects. His fame was scarred by the infamous controversy with Isaac Newton on the subject of the discoverer of calculus. Leibnizs work encompassed a wide scope, ranging from philosopy to politics to mechanics and mathematics, but his most noteworthy accomplishment was the discoveryRead MoreThe Use of Satire in Voltaire’s Candide by Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz773 Words   |  4 Pageswas very popular. Leibniz, a long with many others, believed that Earth was the best of all possible worlds. As explained in an article on Leibniz published by the University of Idaho, he believed that because God created the world and God is not only all powerful but also all knowing and all good, he would create a world with minimal evil. Though, because only God can truly be perfect, our world is not perfect, but it is the best it can possible be. The article states: â€Å"Leibniz isnt concerned withRead MoreThe Doctrine Of Pre Established Harmony1497 Words   |  6 Pagesand focused around certain particular causation problems. Among those problems was the problem between the mind and the body. The doctrine of Pre-established Harmony, is Leibniz’s response to the problem of causation between mind and body. To begin with, Leibniz in his proposition rejected Descartes 3rd proposition about â€Å"mind and body casually interacting† as for him the mind does not act upon the body and the body does not act upon the mind. Leibniz feels that that no finite substance, created substanceRead MoreSearch For The Origins Of Evil2011 Words   |  9 Pages Searching for the origins of evil is one of history’s most difficult problems. While there are varying answers and approaches to the answer, we know that evil does not exist as a singular substance within the universe, therefore making determining the origins of evil more complicated and contentious. Throughout history, many ideas and narratives have been told that attempt to justify the existence of evil within the world. Stories range from evil being released through Pandora’s box to it existing