Expert: Austin Cline - 2/17/2010

Question
dear expert,


some theologians attempt to solve the problem of the "evil"
caused by Nature, by the following reasoning:

          (1) This life is short and is just the beginning, because there is another life (hereafter) much longer and better.

          (2) So, judging what happens during the present life is like judging a book by its cover.

Suffering (caused by Nature) in a finite and short life is almost nothing compared to an everlasting state of peace and happiness (paradise) and thus it can be borne.          
 
(3) Therefore, an all-good God is consistent with natural Evil.



could you tell me if this theodicity really solves anything? and are its arguments fallacious?


thank you

Answer
Not only does this not solve anything, but it's actually worse than most.

The best theodicies are those that try to argue that evil is somehow necessary - that's it's a necessary means for achieving a greater good. Surgery can hurt, but it's necessary to achieve better health.

This argument doesn't even try to do this and simply argues that, in the long run, the good will outweigh the bad. But so what? This doesn't justify or excuse evil. If I torture you but then give you millions of dollars, does this mean that the torture was OK? Am I suddenly excused? Of course not.

So if the suffering and evil aren't *necessary*, then no amount of good later on means that the suffering and evil were in any fashion "OK." The argument from evil still stands.