The "Problem Of Evil" does not exist

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Charlemagne_II said:
Other than a tautology (a sentence that contradicts itself)…
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Self-contradictory statements are not tautologies. In fact, it’s closer to the opposite: loosely, a tautology is a proposition that is true no matter what the value of the variables are, i.e, it is true under every possible interpretation. An obvious tautology would be “x=x,” since x is equal to itself no matter what its value is.

As it’s been pointed out, the liar paradox (“This statement is false.”) lacks a truth value because it is self-referential, not because it is self-contradictory. Self-referential statements are essentially unverifiable, as they address nothing but themselves. For example, even if the statement read “This statement is true.” the truth of the statement is all that is being asserted when we say it is true. Because of this, the statement is meaningless.
 
Oreoracle said:
For example, even if the statement read “This statement is true.” the truth of the statement is all that is being asserted when we say it is true. Because of this, the statement is meaningless.
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This is interesting, when applied to the concept of knowledge. Wittgenstein says that “I know this is a hand” equates, roughly, to “this is a hand” + “this statement is true.” But the second part of the statement is self-referential, so the statement reduces to “this is a hand”.

Does this mean that any claim to knowledge is self-referential? I don’t know. It seems to me that it does. But how are we to construct a model of rationality that is not based on such self-referential statements? :confused:

You are right, of course, to point out that the liar paradox is not a tautology, nor is it a contradiction (although I suppose you might call it a “self-contradiction”, as you did). 🙂
 
Charlemagne_II said:
Other than a tautology (a sentence that contradicts itself) can you provide a sentence that does not implicitly or explicitly imply a truth?
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I might agree that most commands imply a sentence with a truth value. If I say “turn around”, this implies the sentence “I want you to turn around.” But I would still say that “turn around”, in and of itself, cannot possibly be true or false.
If “The problem of evil does not exist” is true, why do people keep debating the answer to why evil exists? Evidently it is a problem at least for some, if not for all.
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This question confuses me. Why do you say that the problem of evil does not exist?
 
Prodigal Son

But I would still say that “turn around”, in and of itself, cannot possibly be true or false.

The operative phrase is “in and of itself.” Agreed. But implicit in the statement is at least one of several truths that must be assumed before the statement can make any sense:
  1. It is possible to turn around.
  2. It is desireable to turn around.
  3. It is necessary to turn around.
  4. You need to turn around.
  5. I need you to turn around.
  6. You have arrived at a cul-de-sac.
Etc. etc. 👍
 
Prodigal son

This question confuses me. Why do you say that the problem of evil does not exist?

I prefaced that with “if.” I think the problem does exist. God can solve it, if we can’t.
 
Prodigal_Son said:
If the sentence is contradictory, though, Sid, it would entail that the sentence is false – because all contradictory sentences are false. But if the sentence is false, then the sentence is true! Ack! :eek:

This is why we call it a paradox, because calling it a contradiction would get us into even more trouble. 😃
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It is a self-referential contradictory statement.
 
Charlemagne_II said:
Prodigal son

This question confuses me. Why do you say that the problem of evil does not exist?

I prefaced that with “if.” I think the problem does exist. God can solve it, if we can’t.
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Is it in order to equate or distinguish the difference between these two statements:

Evil does not exist.

The problem of evil does not exist.
 
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