Explaining Evil : Four Views

In Explaining Evil four prominent philosophers, two theists and two non-theists, present their arguments for why evil exists. Taking a "position and response" format, in which one philosopher offers an account of evil and three others respond, this book guides readers through the advantages and limitations of various philosophical positions on evil, making it ideal for classroom use as well as individual study.

Divided into four chapters, Explaining Evil covers Theistic Libertarianism, Theistic Compatibilism, Atheistic Moral Realism and Atheistic Moral Non-realism. It features topics including free will, theism, atheism, goodness, Calvinism, evolutionary ethics, and pain, and demonstrates some of the dominant models of thinking within contemporary philosophy of religion and ethics.

Written in accessible prose and with an approachable structure, this book provides a clear and useful overview of the central issues of the philosophy of evil.

“The tone is civil, but the critical interactions are lively and uninhibited ... The book is rounded out with an excellent recommended reading section … and an extensive bibliography emphasizing recent (some of it very recent) literature. Summing Up: Highly recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through faculty.” – CHOICE

“This an outstanding book on the problem of evil. Instead of addressing the enduring debate over the value of evil as evidence against theism, the contributors to this book consider how evil fits into their theistic or atheistic perspectives. Anyone interested in the problem of evil-even those who feel that they have already read enough about the topic-should find the book intriguing and eye-opening.” —Yujin Nagasawa, Professor of Philosophy and Co-Director of the John Hick Centre for Philosophy of Religion, University of Birmingham, UK