A théodicée (of the Θεοũ δίκη Greek, “justice of God”) is an attempt at resolution of apparent contradiction between the existence of the Mal and the kindness of God, of Nature, the Company, or the Man. For the philosopher, the company consists in proving that, in spite of the evil thanks to him, the History has a direction, a direction and that this direction will lead to the good. It is typically the theory of Karl Marx, but also of Hegel, Kant, Rousseau and the Lumières in general. It is especially Antonio Rosmini (1797-1855) who developed the most coherent synthesis and most complete of théodicée. Its gigantic work counts 120 volumes, of which a correspondence of 8.319 letters.

Various explanations were advanced during the centuries to reconcile the traditional assumption of omnipotent, omniscient and benevolent God with the brutal observation of the existence of the evil on ground, and with the hope of the Paradis. One owes the most famous first and with holy Augustin. Leibnitz at the 17th century is particularly illustrated there. The Philosophe S first of all analyzed the various categories of evil before proposing five different explanations.

Théodicée augustinienne

In religion, the théodicée traditional one is that of Saint Augustin: the man was diverted of God by making the sin. He is private original grace and awaits the Saver. In the First council of Braga, the evil is defined like a voluntary deprivation of the grace of God. The evil is not a principle in oneself, as the priscilliens and the Manicheans support it, but rather an absence of grace and good works, as one can say that the cold is not a principle in itself, but only one absence of heat.

Two kinds of evil

Physical evil

The physical evil is the result of the work of Nature. They are the natural disasters (earthquakes, hurricanes…), of the diseases (Cancer, Leprosy…), etc

Moral evil

The moral evil is the intentional result of the human activity: murder, rapes, torture, wars…

It should be noted that Leibniz distinguishes three kinds of evil.

The six most usual arguments

The satanic argument

God wants only the good of the man. It is Satan, created by God and revolted against Him, which is at the origin of all the unexplained evil in the world. As well the natural disasters which are, in the actual position of knowledge of the science, allotted randomly, which pandemias (AIDS, cancer, plague…), diseases which kill out of innocent like the children.

The argument of the hidden harmony

According to the philosophers in favor of théodicée of the hidden harmony, the evil whom we note is only one appearance of evil whereas it is actually a good.

With the eyes of a ignoramus, the History seems a collection of civilizations having sunk. But with the eyes of Hegel, it is the manifestation of the Spirit which little by little becomes aware of itself while being incarnated successively in these civilizations. History is confined in iron and blood of Knowledge Absolute, i.e. of Spirit (of God) which contemplates itself, and becomes aware that it is the History.

Thus, the Spirit knows the justification hidden of existing misfortunes on Earth whereas the human ignoramuses of speculative science do not include/understand this hidden significance. That can be the same thing for a pre-Kantian scientist, who seeks the hidden harmonies of Nature - with the mathematical language. A good scientific explanation justifies the state of the things.

Nondemonstrable character of the argument of the hidden harmony

This théodicée does not give explanation of the existence of the evil, but is satisfied to affirm that there is one, this one being known only of God.

The argument of the discipline

According to the theologists in favor of théodicée of the discipline, the evil is sent by God to punish the sinners, or to test the fidelity of the believers.

Refutation of the argument of the discipline

This vision of the Creator is in contradiction with the starting assumption of its benevolence. Moreover, this théodicée does not explain the evil concerning the innocent ones (for example, an assassinated baby) and remains dumb vis-a-vis the unpunished crimes. From where the argument of the hidden or eschatologic harmony.

The argument eschatologic

According to the philosophers in favor of théodicée eschatologic, the existence of the evil is explained only by the presence of a reward at the end of the lawsuit. Thus for Hegel we will arrive at the Absolute Knowledge, while for Marx the exploitation of the proletarians will produce a classless society, without State and Histoire.

Eschatologic refutation of the argument

One could say that the argument of “all's well that ends well” is refuted by indicating that the existence of a final reward does not excuse the evil having preceded this reward. Large the criminals of the history, of Robespierre with Hitler while passing through Stalin, were based on this argument.

The ontological argument

According to the philosophers in favor of théodicée the ontological, the creation of a complex universe and infinitely diversified cannot be done without defects. Without these defects, the universe would be God himself. In spite of the obligatory existence of this evil, the majority of the phenomena of the universe are optimal and we live in Brave New World possible.

Unjustifiable character of the ontological argument

If this world is Brave New World possible whereas to think of the nature of the paradise? If the existence of happiness requires the existence of misfortune, and that both indissociablement are indissociablement bound, shouldn't one conclude that with the paradise, there exists neither one nor the other, or, as on ground, both?

The argument of the free will

According to the philosophers in favor of the free will (Holy Augustin, Holy Thomas d' Aquin, Leibnitz), the human being with the capacity to choose its actions and to know the consequences of its acts. We are free beings of any determinism and this freedom implies the capacity to choose to make the good or the evil. The evil is thus the counterpart necessary of the freedom granted by God.

Refutation of the argument of the free will

This théodicée applies only to the moral evil and is impotent to explain the existential evil (a family destroyed in an car accident) and the natural evil (a family destroyed by the plague). But undoubtedly the cars are driven, and in addition one would answer us with the argument the hidden harmony. In addition, the argument of the free will encourages to think that freedom will be lost with the paradise. But weren't Adam and Eve driven out a paradise to have wanted fruit allowing to be “like God”?

Another critic could consist in saying that God could have chosen to leave the free will to his creatures while removing the consequences of the actions malfaisantes. Thus, a murderer could assassinate innocent but in this case, this one ressuscite immediately: the free will is preserved and the moral evil is éradiqué. But then to make the evil would be without consequences and freedom a pure agitation.

Jesus shows that the free will can result in not making of evil. The man has sufficient divinity in him to choose to make the good. The capacity of the man to project his will on becoming it of humanity as on his makes it responsible for its choices and its to become. The facts are consequently projection resulting from the human intention leading has a series of experiments enabling him to mature in its divine knowledge. This approach supplements the argument of the free will described earlier, while refuting it in its limitation.

Bonds

• Tests of Théodicée of Leibniz

• God and evil on Philosophical Bouquet, Christian site
• Theodicy: The problem off Evil

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