A moral problem for theodicies

Karpov, Kirill

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A moral problem for theodicies

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A moral problem for theodicies

Annotation

PII

S2072-07260000616-6-1

Publication type

Article

Status

Published

Authors

Kirill Karpov Send message

Edition

Volume 13 Issue 2

Pages

35-48

Abstract

One of the central problems in both contemporary philosophy of religion and ethics concerns the offensiveness of any theodicy, explanation and justification of suffering in the light of the tragic events in the history of the 20th century (to mention some of them, the two World Wars, the genocides at Auschwitz, in Cambodia, Rwanda). The author considers an essay by Emmanuel Levinas called “Useless suffering” in which Levinas presents one of the first attempts to construct a moral critique of theodicy. In order to reconstruct Levinas’ argument, the author introduces two distinctions: a) theodicy of goodness and theodicy of justice, b) theoretical and existential practices of theodicy. Levinas proposes a moral critique of the theodicy of just reward. He claims that it is immoral to justify suffering by a simple calculation of offences and punishments. He thus undermines any attempt to construct such a theodicy. However, theodicy of goodness remains possible for Levinas, as it may express “non-indifference” to the other, openness to her suffering, readiness to show compassion and to provide help. The author claims that any existential theodicy presupposes a theoretical one, and any moral critique must target the theoretical theodicy. In the final part of the paper, the author establishes a stronger and a weaker version of possible moral criterion for theodicy and argues that while the stronger version might prohibit any intellectual practice, the weaker one is applicable to both theoretical and existential theodicies and defenсes.

Keywords

Emmanuel Levinas, “Useless suffering”, theodicy, evil, suffering, moral criterion for theodicy

Date of publication

01.06.2020

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658

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GOST	Karpov K. A moral problem for theodicies // Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth. – 2020. – V. 13. – Issue 2 C. 35-48 .
MLA	Karpov, Kirill "A moral problem for theodicies." Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth. 13.2 (2020).:35-48.
APA	Karpov K. (2020). A moral problem for theodicies. Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth. vol. 13, no. 2, pp.35-48

References

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Levinas, E. “La souffrance inutile”, in: E. Levinas, Entre nous. Essais sur le penser-à-l’autre. Paris: Bernard Grasset, 1991, pp. 107‒120.
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O’Connor, D. “In Defense of Theoretical Theodicy”, Modern Theology, 1988, Vol. 5, No. 1, pp. 61‒74.
Phillips, D.Z. The Problem of Evil and the Problem of God. London: SCM Press, 2004. 304 pp.
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Stiver, D. “The Problem of Theodicy”, Review and Expositor, 1996, Vol. 93, No. 4, pp. 507‒517.
Stoeber, M. Reclaiming Theodicy: Reflections on Suffering, Compassion and Spiritual Transformation. Basingstoke: Palgrave Macmillan, 2005. 143 pp.
Surin, K. Theology and the Problem of Evil. Oxford: Basil Blackwell, 1986. 180 pp.
Swinburne, R. “Sushchestvovanie Boga” [The Existence of God], trans. by M.O. Kedrova. Moscow: Yazyki slavyanskoi kul’tury Publ., 2014. 464 pp. (In Russian)
Swinburne, R. “Trebovaniya k udovletvoritel’noi teoditsee” [The Requirements for a Satisfactory Theodicy], Problema zla i teoditsei [The Problem of Evil and Theodicy], ed. by V.K. Shokhin. Moscow: IPh RAS Publ., 2006, pp. 174‒187. (In Russian)
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Tilley, T. The Evils of Theodicy. Washington D.C.: Georgetown University Press, 1991. 279 pp.

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