--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: Epicurus's old questions are still…" description: "\"“Epicurus's old questions are still unanswered: Is he (God) willing to prevent evil, but not able? then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? th..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c25/david-hume-538_atheism_epicurus-s-old-questions-are-still-unans_2207297.jpg" --- # Epicurus's old questions are still unanswered: Is he (God)… ![“Epicurus's old questions are still unanswered: Is he (God) willing to prevent evil, but not able? then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? then whence evil?” quote by David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c25/david-hume-538_atheism_epicurus-s-old-questions-are-still-unans_2207297.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c25/david-hume-538_atheism_epicurus-s-old-questions-are-still-unans_2207297.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c25/david-hume-538_atheism_epicurus-s-old-questions-are-still-unans_2207297.jpg) > ““Epicurus's old questions are still unanswered: Is he (God) willing to prevent evil, but not able? then he is impotent. Is he able, but not willing? then he is malevolent. Is he both able and willing? then whence evil?”” [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Epicurus questions God’s power and willingness regarding evil, highlighting a paradox. **In simple terms:** God’s power vs. willingness creates evil paradox. Key Takeaway Consider limits of divine agency. Themes theodicy philosophy divine attributes Mood inquisitive serious Type philosophical theological When to use this quote - theological debate - ethical reasoning - personal belief - interfaith dialogue Key Concepts free will problem of evil Questions to Reflect On - Is evil a test or a flaw? - How do we reconcile suffering with belief? A Different Perspective Assuming human concepts for divine nature may mislead. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Atheism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/atheism/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/epicurus/) ## Related quotes > [Is he able, but not willing? Then he is malevolent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/epicurus/is-he-able-but-not-willing-then-he-is-malevolent/) [Epicurus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/epicurus/) > [“Prayers, maybe most of them, go unanswered. You two, you’re too young, too fortunate, to know that. You will. Prayers go unanswered. Not God’s…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-j-santella/prayers-maybe-most-of-them-go-unanswered-you-two-you-re-too-young-too/) Edward J. Santella > [“Whatever the reason, too many are no longer willing to call evil by its name. There is no vision. And when there is no…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/glenn-beck/whatever-the-reason-too-many-are-no-longer-willing-to-call-evil-by/) [Glenn Beck](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/glenn-beck/) > [There are people whose souls have just withered, people who are willing to go along with anything evil - anything so as not to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vasily-grossman/there-are-people-whose-souls-have-just-withered-people-who-are/) [Vasily Grossman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vasily-grossman/) > [Bob, would you be willing to take on Evil Bob?" Bob's eyes darted nervously. "I'd . . . prefer not to. I'd really, really…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jim-butcher/bob-would-you-be-willing-to-take-on-evil-bob-bob-s-eyes-darted/) [Jim Butcher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jim-butcher/) > [“When Epicurus defined happiness as the supreme good, he warned his disciples that it is hard work to be happy. Material achievements alone will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/yuval-noah-harari/when-epicurus-defined-happiness-as-the-supreme-good-he-warned-his/) [Yuval Noah Harari](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/yuval-noah-harari/) > [“Contemplating Clodia I find scarcely a drop in my heart of that compassion which Epicurus enjoins us to extend toward the erring.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thornton-wilder/contemplating-clodia-i-find-scarcely-a-drop-in-my-heart-of-that/) [Thornton Wilder](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thornton-wilder/) > [Epicurus thought that friendship and conviviality, which require present attention rather than being in an alcoholic stupor, as well as trying to understand and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/catherine-wilson/epicurus-thought-that-friendship-and-conviviality-which-require/) [Catherine Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/catherine-wilson/) > [“Epicurus said you should live for pleasure - adding that nothing brings more pleasure than a little sun and a glass of water. It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/beno-t-duteurtre/epicurus-said-you-should-live-for-pleasure-adding-that-nothing-brings/) Benoît Duteurtre > [“Epicurus: “If you live according to nature, you will never be poor; if you live according to opinion, you will never be rich.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seneca/epicurus-if-you-live-according-to-nature-you-will-never-be-poor-if/) [Seneca](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seneca/) > [After upwards of two thousand years Epicurus has been exonerated from the reproach that the doctrines of his philosophy recommended the pleasures of sensuality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-benton-clulow/after-upwards-of-two-thousand-years-epicurus-has-been-exonerated-from/) [William Benton Clulow](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-benton-clulow/) > [When we contemplate the world of Epicurus, and conceive the universe to be a fortuitous jumble of atoms, there is nothing grand in this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thomas-reid/when-we-contemplate-the-world-of-epicurus-and-conceive-the-universe/) [Thomas Reid](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thomas-reid/) > [“Companionship was at the top of Epicurus's list of life's pleasures. 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For if truth…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/and-indeed-nothing-but-the-most-determined-scepticism-along-with-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [...virtue is attended by more peace of mind than vice, and meets with a more favourable reception from the world. 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When I hear a man is religious , I conclude…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/they-all-make-up-new-species-of-crime-and-bring-unhappiness-in-their/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [There is not to be found, in all history, any miracle attested by a sufficient number of men, of such unquestioned good sense, education…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/there-is-not-to-be-found-in-all-history-any-miracle-attested-by-a/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) > [“But though there be naturally a wide difference in point of delicacy between one person and another, nothing tends further to encrease and improve…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-hume/but-though-there-be-naturally-a-wide-difference-in-point-of-delicacy/) [David Hume](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) [Explore all 487 David Hume quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-hume/) ## More Atheism quotes > [From Augustine down, theologians have tried to compel people to accept their special interpretation of the Scripture, and the tortures of the inquisition, the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/matilda-joslyn-gage/from-augustine-down-theologians-have-tried-to-compel-people-to-accept/) [Matilda Joslyn Gage](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/matilda-joslyn-gage/) > [“What I have a problem with is not so much religion or god, but faith. 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Bush](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/george-w-bush/) > [A knowledge of the existence of something we cannot penetrate, of the manifestations of the profoundest reason and the most radiant beauty - it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/albert-einstein/a-knowledge-of-the-existence-of-something-we-cannot-penetrate-of-the/) [Albert Einstein](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/albert-einstein/) > [You cannot ... transmute some incoherent mixture of words into sense merely by introducing the three-letter word "God" to be its grammatical subject.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/antony-flew/you-cannot-transmute-some-incoherent-mixture-of-words-into-sense/) [Antony Flew](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/antony-flew/) > [Many humanists have argued that happiness involves a combination of hedonism and creative moral development; that an exuberant life fuses excellence and enjoyment, meaning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-kurtz/many-humanists-have-argued-that-happiness-involves-a-combination-of/) [Paul Kurtz](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-kurtz/) > [If, with all the time at my disposal, with all the wealth of the resources of this vast universe, to do with as I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-green-ingersoll/if-with-all-the-time-at-my-disposal-with-all-the-wealth-of-the/) [Robert Green Ingersoll](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-green-ingersoll/) > [Do you think that was kind? 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