Paper Summary:

This paper discusses "The Problem of Evil" by John Hick, from the point of view of philosophy of religion. The paper discusses Hick's two main responses to the problem of evil. It then analyzes whether Hick's responses offer solutions to the problem of evil as set forth by J.L. Mackie. The paper concludes that Hick's arguments do not offer solutions to the problem of evil.

Table of Contents:
Introduction
Theodicy and Soul-Making
Analysis and Conclusion

From the Paper:

"Hick's approach in solving the problem of evil doesn't seem to negate any of the three premises. His concept of theodicy affirms God's divine attributes such as goodness and omnipotence. Evil however, is a real attribute that is in direct opposition with Good. Hick suggested that evil is something necessary that would serve a purpose in the divine plan. He doesn't assume that man had been created perfectly, and that evil only existed after the Fall. For him, man has undergone an evolutionary process since creation that is destined to make him a "child of God". However, the process of achieving this goal requires trials and suffering in the world. According to him, goodness and perfection that has been achieved through a long and painful moral process is more valuable than if God has created man already good and perfect. God himself doesn't need man's suffering in order to create souls, since he is omnipotent. However, the "process" of creating souls requires the involvement of evil. According to Hick's philosophy, evil is a means to achieve eternal good and happiness."

Sample of Sources Used:

• Beebe, James (2006). "The Logical Problem of Evil" Retrieved March 13, 2006 from http://www.iep.utm.edu/e/evil-log.htm

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