The World as Good Over-All

Abstract

If the theists’ arguments discussed in Chapter 6 to the effect that some evil is compatible with the perfection of the creator of this world since some evil may be justified by reference to good were successful, the problem of evil would become the remaining problems noted in Chapter 1, with the main interest of theists and their critics centering on Problem 2 concerning the actual evil that occurs. In spite of the fact that it is the first form of the traditional problem of evil that is most commonly alluded to as “the problem of evil”, it is this second problem which is most commonly discussed and towards which most of the famous proposed solutions have been directed. For this reason, whilst some of this Chapter will relate to the possibility of a solution to the first problem, the bulk of the discussion will be concerned with an examination of solutions which have been advanced to the second problem concerning the actual kinds and amounts of evil which are to be found in the world.