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Full Idea
Moral evil may be acceptable to a benevolent God because it is the only way to allow genuine free will, which may have a supreme value in creation (even if we are unsure what it is).
Gist of Idea
Moral evil may be acceptable to God because it allows free will (even though we don't see why this is necessary)
Source
report of Alvin Plantinga (Free Will Defence [1965], Pref.) by PG - Db (ideas)
Book Ref
'The Philosophy of Religion', ed/tr. Mitchell,Basil [OUP 1971], p.106
| 2658 | The gods blame men for having vices, but they could have given us enough reason to avoid them [Cicero] |
| 19338 | Augustine said evil does not really exist, and evil is a limitation in goodness [Augustine, by Perkins] |
| 5037 | God doesn't decide that Adam will sin, but that sinful Adam's existence is to be preferred [Leibniz] |
| 5050 | Evil serves a greater good, and pain is necessary for higher pleasure [Leibniz] |
| 3956 | People are responsible because they have limited power, though this ultimately derives from God [Berkeley] |
| 1474 | Moral evil may be acceptable to God because it allows free will (even though we don't see why this is necessary) [Plantinga, by PG] |