In This Scene from Dostoevsky's the Brothers Karamazov, Ivan Karamazov

Multiple Choice

In this scene from Dostoevsky's The Brothers Karamazov, Ivan Karamazov explains to his pious younger brother, Alyosha, a Christian monk, why he cannot accept God. Ivan's impediment to full devotion to God is the problem of evil. He declares that there is untold, unfathomable suffering in the world-suffering such as that of a little child who is tortured, mutilated, and murdered by a ruthless general for no reason. God allows this suffering, but no adequate justification or explanation can be given why God would permit such evil.
-Ivan asks Alyosha if he would consent to the torture and killing of one tiny child if the act would give all of humanity ultimate peace and happiness. To this Alyosha answers

A) yes.
B) yes, if the peace and happiness were forever.
C) no.
D) only if all other children were spared.