God and the Problem of Evil

God and the Problem of Evil considers the question of whether the amount of seemingly pointless malice and suffering in our world counts against the rationality of belief in God, a being who is understood to be all-powerful, all-knowing, and perfectly good. Beginning with historically significant essays by Leibniz and Hume, the book then focuses on contemporary discussions of the problem of evil. The volume concludes with three important articles that sketch an explanation of why God might need to permit the terrible evils that abound in our world. The study of these essays and replies will provide students with a thorough understanding of the central issues involved in the problem of evil.

William L. Rowe is Professor of Philosophy at Purdue University. He is the author of The Cosmological Argument (1998), Philosophy of Religion: An Introduction (third edition, 2001), and co-editor of Philosophy of Religion: Selected Readings (third edition, 1999). He has served on the Board of Officers of the American Philosophical Association and was elected President of the Central Division of the American Philosophical Association for 1986-87.