God and Evil

McCloskey's article represents a significant contribution to the philosophical debate surrounding the problem of evil, offering a robust atheistic argument that challenges traditional theistic defenses. Writing during a period of renewed interest in the logical problem of evil, McCloskey systematically examines whether the existence of evil in the world can be reconciled with belief in an omnipotent, omniscient, and perfectly good God.

The article advances its atheistic position through careful analysis of various theistic responses to the problem of evil. McCloskey scrutinizes the free will defense, which argues that moral evil results from God granting humans genuine freedom of choice. He contends that this defense fails to account for natural evils such as diseases and disasters, and questions whether an omnipotent God could not have created free beings who consistently choose good. His critique extends to the argument that evil serves as a means to greater goods, examining whether virtues like courage or compassion truly require the existence of suffering to be meaningful.

McCloskey employs analytical philosophy's characteristic precision in dissecting theodicies that attempt to justify God's permission of evil. He challenges the notion that this world represents the best of all possible worlds, arguing that even if some evils lead to greater goods, an omnipotent deity should be able to achieve these goods without the accompanying suffering. The article also addresses the argument from ignorance—that human limitations prevent us from understanding divine purposes—suggesting this move renders theistic belief unfalsifiable and therefore philosophically suspect.

The work's significance lies in its comprehensive treatment of theistic responses and its clear articulation of why these responses fail to resolve the logical tension between God's traditional attributes and evil's reality. McCloskey's analysis influenced subsequent discussions by sharpening the logical formulation of the problem and forcing theistic philosophers to develop more sophisticated responses. His article exemplifies the analytical approach to philosophy of religion prevalent in the mid-twentieth century, emphasizing logical rigor over appeals to faith or mystery. By demonstrating what he views as the irreconcilable conflict between classical theism and the existence of evil, McCloskey provides a foundational text for philosophical atheism that continues to shape contemporary debates about divine existence and attributes.