Hedenius' Soteriological Argument from Evil

Abstract

In this paper I explicate and assess a logical argument from evil put forth by the Swedish analytic philosopher Ingemar Hedenius in his book Tro och vetande (eng. Faith and Knowledge) (1949), by far the most famous and influential critique of Christianity in Swedish intellectual history. I seek to show that Hedenius’ argument is significantly different from, and indeed stronger than, the paradigmatic logical argument from evil in the analytic tradition, i.e. that of John Mackie (1955). Nevertheless, Hedenius’ argument is, I argue, ultimately unconvincing.