Richard Swinburne's Arguments On The Existence Of Evil

Is the evil in this world justified? Richard Swinburne argues that, the existence of evil, positive bad states like suffering, is a necessary condition for the existence of a deep good then the existence of evil is justified. He believes a deep good is a good which we would choose to have even at the cost of having great suffering. Swinburne thinks the existence of evil is a necessary condition for us having free and responsible choice, like the ability to do what you wish and have your actions affect yourself and others for good or ill (107c1-107c2). Free and responsible choice is a deep good to him so therefore, the existence of evil is justified according to Swinburne. In this paper, I will explain and examine Ivan’s argument on why he …show more content…
He uses the cases of the suffering children to make his point stronger, so that Alyosha doesn’t continue with his Zossima. Ivan then goes to talk about what kind of harmony we are living with. The kind that allows children to suffer for men’s greed and sins. That is the kind that he does not want to live in. But if there was ever a real divine harmony where the pain has paid off he would love to see it for himself. I had a phase were I wondered of all the suffering in this world and why all the evil in this world exist. I learned to live with it. I would not add to the evil but I would live with any little happiness that there is in life. I, like Ivan, wondered why did children have to suffer and why God allows it, if there is one. Ivan argument is one that is tough to prove wrong so I disagree with Swinburne argument saying that the existence of evil is justified. So in conclusion, hearing the cases that Ivan shares of the children who suffer does make his argument stronger because of the fact that people take children more seriously. I think that the majority of the people would not like for children to suffer and would agree on them being