Evil: A Guide For The Perplexed Is A Lively Examination Of The Philosophical And Theological Problems Raised By The Existence Of Widespread Evil. It Explores Classic Debates Around This Problem And Also Engages With More Recent Ones, From New Challenges Posed By Scientific Advances In Evolutionary Theory, Neuroscience, And Cosmology, To Concerns Of Climate Change And Environmental Degradation, To Questions Raised By Increasing Religious And Secular Violence. This Second Edition Also Contains New Chapters And Topics Such As Jewish, Christian, And Islamic Responses To Evil And Skeptical Theism. The Result Is An Even-handed Guide To Both Traditional And Contemporary Issues Raised By The Reality And Ubiquity Of Evil. -- Provided By Publisher What Is Evil? -- Problems Of Evil -- Free-will And Soul-making Theodicies -- A Global Theodicy Of Fulfillment -- Anti-theodicy, Misotheism, And Theodicy Of Protest -- The Problem Of Divine Hiddenness -- Evil, Atheism, And The Problem Of Good -- Evil And Suffering In Hinduism And Buddhism -- Eternal Goods And The Triumph Over Evil. Chad V. Meister. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 181-206) And Index. One of the most perplexing problems facing believers in God is the problem of evil. The words of Epicurus put the point concisely:'Either God wants to abolish evil, and cannot; or he can, but does not want to. If he wants to, but cannot, he is impotent. If he can, but does not want to, he is wicked. If God can abolish evil, and God really wants to do it, why is there evil in the world?'This is a difficult problem to unpick and it remains an issue that continues to concern people and inspire debate. The problem has taken a variety of forms over the centuries; in fact, there are numerous'problems'of evil-problems for theists but, perhaps surprisingly, problems for non-theists as well. Evil: A Guide for the Perplexed explores, in a rigorous but engaging way, central challenges to religious belief raised by evil and suffering in the world as well as significant responses to them from both theistic and non-theistic perspectives. "Evil: A Guide for the Perplexed is a lively examination of the philosophical and theological problems raised by the existence of widespread evil. It explores classic debates around this problem and also engages with more recent ones, from new challenges posed by scientific advances in evolutionary theory, neuroscience, and cosmology, to concerns of climate change and environmental degradation, to questions raised by increasing religious and secular violence. This second edition also contains new chapters and topics such as Jewish, Christian, and Islamic responses to evil and skeptical theism. The result is an even-handed guide to both traditional and contemporary issues raised by the reality and ubiquity of evil."--Bloomsbury Publishing. Preface to the Second Edition 7 Preface to the First Edition 10 1 What Is Evil? 12 2 Problems of Evil 32 3 Free-Will and Soul-Making Theodicies 52 4 A Global Theodicy of Fulfillment 68 5 Anti-Theodicy, Misotheism, and Theodicy of Protest 88 6 The Problem of Divine Hiddenness 104 7 Evil, Atheism, and the Problem of Good 126 8 Evil and Suffering in Hinduism and Buddhism 148 9 Eternal Goods and the Triumph over Evil 172 Notes 192 References 209 Index 218 Evil:,A,Guide,for,the,Perplexed Preface to the Second EditionPreface to the First Edition1. What is Evil?2. Problems of Evil3. Free Will and Soul Making Theodicies4. A Global Theodicy of Fulfillment5. Anti-Theodicy, Misotheism, and Theodicy of Protest6. The Problem of Divine Hiddenness 7. Evil, Atheism, and the Problem of Good8. Evil and Suffering in Hinduism and Buddhism9. Eternal Goods and the Triumph over EvilNotesReferencesIndex
