Philosophy of Religion Research

Critical Analysis of the Reichenbach’s Theory of Natural Evils Theodicy

Editorial

Authors

1 Associate Professor of University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

2 MA of Philosophy and Kalam, University of Tehran, Tehran, Iran

Abstract

Evils found in our world are seemingly inconsistent with the three divine attributes: "omniscience", "omnipotence" and "absolute benevolence". In other words, the four propositions: 1) God is omnipotent. 2) God is omniscient. 3) God is wholly good. 4) Evil exists are seemingly inconsistent. Some of atheists deny the existence of God on the fact that evils exist. There are two versions for "The problem of evil": "The logical problem," and " the evidential problem." Logical problem investigates the consistency or inconsistency of the four propositions, and the evidential problem evaluates the probability of the existence of God according to the amount, intensity and variety of evils. Theists have answered to this problem at two levels: the level of "defense" where, through various reasons, they reject the inconsistency of the four propositions and the level of "theodicy" in which the existence of evils is justified. Evils in the world are divided to "moral evils" and "natural evils”. In this article we will consider the theodicy of "natural laws" which is developed by “Bruce R.Reichenbach, and try to illustrate its superiority to competing theories.

Keywords

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Philosophy of Religion Research
Volume 9, Issue 2 - Serial Number 2
November 2011
Pages 113-133