Ang sanaysay na ito ay isang kritikal na pagsusuri sa isang malakas na argumento laban sa paniniwala sa pag-iral ng Diyos: ang argumentong hango sa kasamaan. Ayon sa argumentong ito, mali o hindi makatuwiran ang paniniwalang may Diyos na sukdulan ang talino, kabaitan, at lakas dahil ang paniniwalang ito diumano’y sumasalungat sa katotohanang may mga kasamaang nagaganap sa mundo. Nilalayong ipakita ng sanaysay ang kamalian ng naturang argumento sa dalawang bersyon nito—ang lohikal at ebidensyal na bersyon. Kritikal sa pagsasakatuparan ng layuning ito ang pagsasaalang-alang ng mga sumusunod: kung ang lawak ng kapangyarihan ng Diyos ay masusukat sa kanyang paggamit ng kapangyarihang ito; kung ang kabutihan ng Diyos ay binubuo lamang ng hangaring tanggalin ang mga kasamaan o pigilin ang kanilang kaganapan sa mundo; at kung ang pang-unawa ng tao ay sapat na batayan para maitakda ang saysay o pagkamakabuluhan ng mga kaganapan sa mundo. This essay is a critical analysis of a strong argument against the existence of God: the argument from evil. According to this argument, it is wrong or irrational to believe that there is a God who is all knowing, wholly good, and all powerful because this belief allegedly contradicts the occurrence of evils in the world. This essay aims to demonstrate that this argument is mistaken in both of its two versions: the logical and evidential versions. Critical in this demonstration are the following considerations: whether the extent of God’s power is measured by the extent of his use of this power; whether the goodness of God consists only of the intention to eliminate all evils or prevent their occurrence in the world; and whether human understanding is a sufficient basis for determining the sense or meaningfulness of events occurring in the world.
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