In The Problem of Evil, Peter van Inwagen discusses whether or not there is a Creator based on the fact that evil exists in the world. He takes argument from evil into consideration when examining the problem of evil. The problem of evil is basically the question of why there is such suffering in the world if there is a Creator and why the Creator allows this. The argument from evil is that if there were a God, he would not let such evil exist in the world. Since there is such evil in the world, God must not exist. Inwagen believes the argument from evil is a philosophical failure and explains why it is because of evil that God exists. In his first lecture, Inwagen explains his approach of using the argument of evil to evaluating and discussing the problem of evil. He uses examples of great evils in the world, such as the Holocaust, to explain that if there were a God, He would not have allowed that. Inwagen refutes this by mentioning that horrible events can happen without a purpose or explanation. It is “not a part of god’s plan…[it] has no meaning” (11). Inwagen defines the problem of evil as a problem of “how to find meaning is a world where everything is touched by evil” (16). In the second lecture, Inwagen lists ‘divine attributes’ that …show more content…
He mentions a test that the argument must pass. Simply stating that God those not exist because of certain events is not how to argue philosophically. Philosophical arguments cannot be argued with proof alone like math can be argued. The argument cannot assert a side but rather argue it. We must put forth reasoning but they are suggestive not decisive. If the argument is placed in front of a neutral audience of agnostics, or disbelievers, and does not convince them of the conclusion it begets, the argument is a failure. Inwagen hopes his argument will lead and convince his audience that the argument from evil is “odd” if it were a success