According to Mackie, it is sometimes suggested that "Evil is due to human free will." Mackie criticizes this position: "God was not, then, faced with a choice between making innocent automata and making beings who, in acting freely, would sometimes go wrong: there was open to him the obviously better possibility of making beings who would act freely but always go right. Clearly, his failure to avail himself of this possibility is inconsistent with his being both ___________ and ___________."
A) omnipotent; wholly good
B) eternal; timeless
C) omniscient; logical
D) immaterial; sentient

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The inconsistency Mackie points out is inconsistent with God being both omnipotent (all-powerful) and wholly good. If God had the power to create beings who always freely choose to do good, but chose not to, then he cannot be wholly good. If God wanted to create beings with free will, but still ensured that they would always do good, then he could only be described as omnipotent.

According to Mackie, It Is Sometimes Suggested That "Evil Is