On the Existence of Evils
Title | On the Existence of Evils PDF eBook |
Author | Proclus |
Publisher | Bristol Classical Press |
Pages | 182 |
Release | 2003 |
Genre | Philosophy |
ISBN |
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Proclus: On the Existence of Evils
Title | Proclus: On the Existence of Evils PDF eBook |
Author | Carlos Steel |
Publisher | A&C Black |
Pages | 169 |
Release | 2014-04-10 |
Genre | Philosophy |
ISBN | 1472501039 |
Proclus' On the Existence of Evils is not a commentary, but helps to compensate for the dearth of Neoplatonist ethical commentaries. The central question addressed in the work is: how can there be evil in a providential world? Neoplatonists agree that it cannot be caused by higher and worthier beings. Plotinus had said that evil is matter, which, unlike Aristotle, he collapsed into mere privation or lack, thus reducing its reality. He also protected higher causes from responsibility by saying that evil may result from a combination of goods. Proclus objects: evil is real, and not a privation. Rather, it is a parasite feeding off good. Parasites have no proper cause, and higher beings are thus vindicated as being the causes only of the good off which evil feeds.
Reasonable Faith
Title | Reasonable Faith PDF eBook |
Author | William Lane Craig |
Publisher | Crossway |
Pages | 418 |
Release | 2008 |
Genre | Religion |
ISBN | 1433501155 |
This updated edition by one of the world's leading apologists presents a systematic, positive case for Christianity that reflects the latest work in the contemporary hard sciences and humanities. Brilliant and accessible.
The Problem of Evil
Title | The Problem of Evil PDF eBook |
Author | Daniel Speak |
Publisher | John Wiley & Sons |
Pages | 109 |
Release | 2014-11-11 |
Genre | Religion |
ISBN | 0745617956 |
The most forceful philosophical objections to belief in God arise from the existence of evil. Bad things happen in the world and it is not clear how this is compatible with the existence of an all-powerful and perfectly loving being. Unsurprisingly then, philosophers have formulated powerful arguments for atheism based on the existence of apparently unjustified suffering. These arguments give expression to what we call the problem of evil. This volume is an engaging introduction to the philosophical problem of evil. Daniel Speak provides a clear overview of the main lines of reasoning in this debate and argues for the defensibility of theistic belief in the face of evil. He fleshes out the distinction between theodicy and defense and guides the reader through the logical, evidential, and hiddenness versions of the problem. In an accessible and beautifully written account, Speak describes the central issues surrounding the problem of evil in a way that clarifies both the complex reasoning and specialised terminology of the topic. The Problem of Evil is an ideal introduction to contemporary debates over one of the most gripping perennial questions. Read either on its own or alongside the primary materials it deftly covers, students and scholars will find this volume a terrific resource for understanding the challenges to religious belief raised by evil.
Evil in Aristotle
Title | Evil in Aristotle PDF eBook |
Author | Pavlos Kontos |
Publisher | Cambridge University Press |
Pages | 287 |
Release | 2018-02-22 |
Genre | Philosophy |
ISBN | 1107161975 |
Provides the first full study of Aristotle's notion of evil and sheds light on its content, potential, and influence.
Horrendous Evils and the Goodness of God
Title | Horrendous Evils and the Goodness of God PDF eBook |
Author | Marilyn McCord Adams |
Publisher | Cornell University Press |
Pages | 237 |
Release | 2018-09-05 |
Genre | Philosophy |
ISBN | 1501735926 |
When confronted by horrendous evil, even the most pious believer may question not only life's worth but also God's power and goodness. A distinguished philosopher and a practicing minister, Marilyn McCord Adams has written a highly original work on a fundamental dilemma of Christian thought—how to reconcile faith in God with the evils that afflict human beings. Adams argues that much of the discussion in analytic philosophy of religion over the last forty years has offered too narrow an understanding of the problem. The ground rules accepted for the discussion have usually led philosophers to avert their gaze from the worst—horrendous—evils and their devastating impact on human lives. They have agreed to debate the issue on the basis of religion-neutral values, and have focused on morals, an approach that—Adams claims—is inadequate for formulating and solving the problem of horrendous evils. She emphasizes instead the fruitfulness of other evaluative categories such as purity and defilement, honor and shame, and aesthetics. If redirected, philosophical reflection on evil can, Adams's book demonstrates, provide a valuable approach not only to theories of God and evil but also to pastoral care.
Ethics and the Problem of Evil
Title | Ethics and the Problem of Evil PDF eBook |
Author | Marilyn McCord Adams |
Publisher | Indiana University Press |
Pages | 182 |
Release | 2017-02-27 |
Genre | Religion |
ISBN | 0253024382 |
Provocative essays that seek “to turn the attention of analytic philosophy of religion on the problem of evil . . . towards advances in ethical theory” (Reading Religion). The contributors to this book—Marilyn McCord Adams, John Hare, Linda Zagzebski, Laura Garcia, Bruce Russell, Stephen Wykstra, and Stephen Maitzen—attended two University of Notre Dame conferences in which they addressed the thesis that there are yet untapped resources in ethical theory for affecting a more adequate solution to the problem of evil. The problem of evil has been an extremely active area of study in the philosophy of religion for many years. Until now, most sources have focused on logical, metaphysical, and epistemological issues, leaving moral questions as open territory. With the resources of ethical theory firmly in hand, this volume provides lively insight into this ageless philosophical issue. “These essays—and others—will be of primary interest to scholars working in analytic philosophy of religion from a self-consciously Christian standpoint, but its audience is not limited to such persons. The book offers illustrative examples of how scholars in philosophy of religion understand their aims and how they go about making their arguments . . . hopefully more work will follow this volume’s lead.”—Reading Religion “Recommended.”—Choice