The Evolution of Evil

The Evolution of Evil

Author: Timothy Anders

Publisher:

Published: 1994

Total Pages: 408

ISBN-13:

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For all its beauty and splendor, the world is replete with suffering, hardship, and misery. Why does evil exist? Is evil necessary? Can we ever hope to abolish evil? Philosophers, theologians, scientists, and laypeople have often pondered these questions, but their answers have generally been unconvincing or unhelpful. They have sometimes tried vainly to show that all evil is really for the best, and sometimes to dismiss the problem of evil as too profound to be answered. In The Evolution of Evil, Timothy Anders offers an original and persuasive solution to the 'Problem of Evil, ' one that is grounded in science. According to Anders, the root of all human suffering, and hence of all evil, is to be found in the historical process by which human life was created: evolution by natural selection. The compelling simplicity of this explanation has been overlooked because of several widely-held misconceptions, notably the view that evolution favors the good and eliminates the bad, or that evolution favors an inexorable ascent to 'higher, ' more intelligent, and more complex forms. At the heart of these misconceptions lie prejudices such as anthropocentrism -- the view that humankind is the 'point' of the universe, and that things therefore tend to be arranged for humanity's benefit; the assumption that nature is essentially benevolent toward humans; and political utopianism, which proclaims that it is possible to bring about a perfect or nearly perfect society. Anders exposes the roots of evil in humankind's biological background, showing that evolution is not benevolent or progressive, and that it tends to lead to suffering which can sometimes be mitigated but never entirely banished. Ourprimate ancestry has left us with many 'scars of evolution, ' inefficient components which lead to pain and disappointment. Anders shows that humans are especially poorly adapted to their environment. The fact that they rely heavily on culture and intelligence is not an unmixed blessing.


Book Synopsis The Evolution of Evil by : Timothy Anders

Download or read book The Evolution of Evil written by Timothy Anders and published by . This book was released on 1994 with total page 408 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For all its beauty and splendor, the world is replete with suffering, hardship, and misery. Why does evil exist? Is evil necessary? Can we ever hope to abolish evil? Philosophers, theologians, scientists, and laypeople have often pondered these questions, but their answers have generally been unconvincing or unhelpful. They have sometimes tried vainly to show that all evil is really for the best, and sometimes to dismiss the problem of evil as too profound to be answered. In The Evolution of Evil, Timothy Anders offers an original and persuasive solution to the 'Problem of Evil, ' one that is grounded in science. According to Anders, the root of all human suffering, and hence of all evil, is to be found in the historical process by which human life was created: evolution by natural selection. The compelling simplicity of this explanation has been overlooked because of several widely-held misconceptions, notably the view that evolution favors the good and eliminates the bad, or that evolution favors an inexorable ascent to 'higher, ' more intelligent, and more complex forms. At the heart of these misconceptions lie prejudices such as anthropocentrism -- the view that humankind is the 'point' of the universe, and that things therefore tend to be arranged for humanity's benefit; the assumption that nature is essentially benevolent toward humans; and political utopianism, which proclaims that it is possible to bring about a perfect or nearly perfect society. Anders exposes the roots of evil in humankind's biological background, showing that evolution is not benevolent or progressive, and that it tends to lead to suffering which can sometimes be mitigated but never entirely banished. Ourprimate ancestry has left us with many 'scars of evolution, ' inefficient components which lead to pain and disappointment. Anders shows that humans are especially poorly adapted to their environment. The fact that they rely heavily on culture and intelligence is not an unmixed blessing.

Evolution and the Problem of Natural Evil

Evolution and the Problem of Natural Evil

Author: Michael Anthony Corey

Publisher: Rowman and Littlefield

Published: 2000

Total Pages: 386

ISBN-13: 9780761818120

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Is the evolutionary process intelligently designed? If so, why did the Creator choose such an evil-infested means to create the biosphere? What is the intrinsic nature of evil itself? Is natural evil necessary? Is evil compatible with the existence of God? Will the world's evils ever be totally redeemed? What place does humanity occupy in the cosmic scheme of things? Evolution and the Problem of Natural Evil attempts to answer these and other timeless questions by proposing a bold new conceptual synthesis that aggressively marries the tenets of modern developmental psychology to the basic concepts of classical theism. The end result of this novel approach is deeply encouraging, insofar as it places the problem of evil, as well as the general fate of human existence, in a much larger and more optimistic context than has traditionally been imagined.


Book Synopsis Evolution and the Problem of Natural Evil by : Michael Anthony Corey

Download or read book Evolution and the Problem of Natural Evil written by Michael Anthony Corey and published by Rowman and Littlefield. This book was released on 2000 with total page 386 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Is the evolutionary process intelligently designed? If so, why did the Creator choose such an evil-infested means to create the biosphere? What is the intrinsic nature of evil itself? Is natural evil necessary? Is evil compatible with the existence of God? Will the world's evils ever be totally redeemed? What place does humanity occupy in the cosmic scheme of things? Evolution and the Problem of Natural Evil attempts to answer these and other timeless questions by proposing a bold new conceptual synthesis that aggressively marries the tenets of modern developmental psychology to the basic concepts of classical theism. The end result of this novel approach is deeply encouraging, insofar as it places the problem of evil, as well as the general fate of human existence, in a much larger and more optimistic context than has traditionally been imagined.

Darwin's God

Darwin's God

Author: Cornelius G. Hunter

Publisher: Wipf and Stock Publishers

Published: 2019-10-01

Total Pages: 193

ISBN-13: 1532688571

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"Cornelius Hunter brilliantly supports his thesis that Darwinism is a mixture of metaphysical dogma and biased scientific observation, that at its core, evolution is about God, not science."--Phillip E. Johnson, author, Darwin on Trial"Biophysicist Cornelius Hunter argues perceptively that the main supporting pole of the Darwinian tent has always been a theological assertion: 'God wouldn't have done it that way.' Rather than demonstrating that evolution is capable of the wonders they attribute to it, Darwinists rely on a man-made version of God to argue that He never would have made life with the particular suite of features we observe. In lucid and engaging prose, Hunter shines a light on Darwinian theology, making plain what is too often obscured by technical jargon."--Michael J. Behe, Lehigh University"This wonderfully insightful book will prove pivotal in the current reassessment of Darwinian evolution. Darwinists argue that evolution has to be true because no self-respecting deity would have created life the way we find it. Hunter unmasks this theological mode of argumentation and argues convincingly that it is not merely incidental but indeed essential to how Darwinists justify evolution."--William A. Dembski, Baylor University"A fascinating study of a much overlooked aspect of the origins controversy."--Stephen C. Meyer, Whitworth College


Book Synopsis Darwin's God by : Cornelius G. Hunter

Download or read book Darwin's God written by Cornelius G. Hunter and published by Wipf and Stock Publishers. This book was released on 2019-10-01 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Cornelius Hunter brilliantly supports his thesis that Darwinism is a mixture of metaphysical dogma and biased scientific observation, that at its core, evolution is about God, not science."--Phillip E. Johnson, author, Darwin on Trial"Biophysicist Cornelius Hunter argues perceptively that the main supporting pole of the Darwinian tent has always been a theological assertion: 'God wouldn't have done it that way.' Rather than demonstrating that evolution is capable of the wonders they attribute to it, Darwinists rely on a man-made version of God to argue that He never would have made life with the particular suite of features we observe. In lucid and engaging prose, Hunter shines a light on Darwinian theology, making plain what is too often obscured by technical jargon."--Michael J. Behe, Lehigh University"This wonderfully insightful book will prove pivotal in the current reassessment of Darwinian evolution. Darwinists argue that evolution has to be true because no self-respecting deity would have created life the way we find it. Hunter unmasks this theological mode of argumentation and argues convincingly that it is not merely incidental but indeed essential to how Darwinists justify evolution."--William A. Dembski, Baylor University"A fascinating study of a much overlooked aspect of the origins controversy."--Stephen C. Meyer, Whitworth College

The Evolution of Evil

The Evolution of Evil

Author: Gaymon Bennett

Publisher: Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht

Published: 2008

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9783525569795

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"This book offers a multivalent diagnosis of the problem of evil in an evolutionary context. This diagnosis consists of an analysis of what is at stake, scientifically and theologically. More importantly, it offers an array of synthetic proposals for how theology might move beyond current difficulties, opening new directions for thought, and clearer understandings of evil."--BOOK JACKET.


Book Synopsis The Evolution of Evil by : Gaymon Bennett

Download or read book The Evolution of Evil written by Gaymon Bennett and published by Vandenhoeck & Ruprecht. This book was released on 2008 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This book offers a multivalent diagnosis of the problem of evil in an evolutionary context. This diagnosis consists of an analysis of what is at stake, scientifically and theologically. More importantly, it offers an array of synthetic proposals for how theology might move beyond current difficulties, opening new directions for thought, and clearer understandings of evil."--BOOK JACKET.

The Problem of Evil

The Problem of Evil

Author: Michael L. Peterson

Publisher: University of Notre Dame Pess

Published: 2016-11-15

Total Pages: 636

ISBN-13: 0268100357

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Of all the issues in the philosophy of religion, the problem of reconciling belief in God with evil in the world arguably commands more attention than any other. For over two decades, Michael L. Peterson’s The Problem of Evil: Selected Readings has been the most widely recognized and used anthology on the subject. Peterson's expanded and updated second edition retains the key features of the original and presents the main positions and strategies in the latest philosophical literature on the subject. It will remain the most complete introduction to the subject as well as a resource for advanced study. Peterson organizes his selection of classical and contemporary sources into four parts: important statements addressing the problem of evil from great literature and classical philosophy; debates based on the logical, evidential, and existential versions of the problem; major attempts to square God's justice with the presence of evil, such as Augustinian, Irenaean, process, openness, and felix culpa theodicies; and debates on the problem of evil covering such concepts as a best possible world, natural evil and natural laws, gratuitous evil, the skeptical theist defense, and the bearing of biological evolution on the problem. The second edition includes classical excerpts from the book of Job, Voltaire, Dostoevsky, Augustine, Aquinas, Leibniz, and Hume, and twenty-five essays that have shaped the contemporary discussion, by J. L. Mackie, Alvin Plantinga, William Rowe, Marilyn Adams, John Hick, William Hasker, Paul Draper, Michael Bergmann, Eleonore Stump, Peter van Inwagen, and numerous others. Whether a professional philosopher, student, or interested layperson, the reader will be able to work through a number of issues related to how evil in the world affects belief in God.


Book Synopsis The Problem of Evil by : Michael L. Peterson

Download or read book The Problem of Evil written by Michael L. Peterson and published by University of Notre Dame Pess. This book was released on 2016-11-15 with total page 636 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Of all the issues in the philosophy of religion, the problem of reconciling belief in God with evil in the world arguably commands more attention than any other. For over two decades, Michael L. Peterson’s The Problem of Evil: Selected Readings has been the most widely recognized and used anthology on the subject. Peterson's expanded and updated second edition retains the key features of the original and presents the main positions and strategies in the latest philosophical literature on the subject. It will remain the most complete introduction to the subject as well as a resource for advanced study. Peterson organizes his selection of classical and contemporary sources into four parts: important statements addressing the problem of evil from great literature and classical philosophy; debates based on the logical, evidential, and existential versions of the problem; major attempts to square God's justice with the presence of evil, such as Augustinian, Irenaean, process, openness, and felix culpa theodicies; and debates on the problem of evil covering such concepts as a best possible world, natural evil and natural laws, gratuitous evil, the skeptical theist defense, and the bearing of biological evolution on the problem. The second edition includes classical excerpts from the book of Job, Voltaire, Dostoevsky, Augustine, Aquinas, Leibniz, and Hume, and twenty-five essays that have shaped the contemporary discussion, by J. L. Mackie, Alvin Plantinga, William Rowe, Marilyn Adams, John Hick, William Hasker, Paul Draper, Michael Bergmann, Eleonore Stump, Peter van Inwagen, and numerous others. Whether a professional philosopher, student, or interested layperson, the reader will be able to work through a number of issues related to how evil in the world affects belief in God.

Evil Genes

Evil Genes

Author: Barbara Oakley, PhD

Publisher: Prometheus Books

Published: 2010-06-28

Total Pages: 475

ISBN-13: 1615920021

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Have you ever heard of a person who left you wondering, "How could someone be so twisted? So evil?" Prompted by clues in her sister’s diary after her mysterious death, author Barbara Oakley takes the reader inside the head of the kinds of malevolent people you know, perhaps all too well, but could never understand. Starting with psychology as a frame of reference, Oakley uses cutting-edge images of the working brain to provide startling support for the idea that "evil" people act the way they do mainly as the result of a dysfunction. In fact, some deceitful, manipulative, and even sadistic behavior appears to be programmed genetically—suggesting that some people really are born to be bad. Oakley links the latest findings of molecular research to a wide array of seemingly unrelated historical and current phenomena, from the harems of the Ottomans and the chummy jokes of "Uncle Joe" Stalin, to the remarkable memory of investor Warren Buffet. Throughout, she never loses sight of the personal cost of evil genes as she unravels the mystery surrounding her sister’s enigmatic life—and death. Evil Genes is a tour-de-force of popular science writing that brilliantly melds scientific research with intriguing family history and puts both a human and scientific face to evil.


Book Synopsis Evil Genes by : Barbara Oakley, PhD

Download or read book Evil Genes written by Barbara Oakley, PhD and published by Prometheus Books. This book was released on 2010-06-28 with total page 475 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Have you ever heard of a person who left you wondering, "How could someone be so twisted? So evil?" Prompted by clues in her sister’s diary after her mysterious death, author Barbara Oakley takes the reader inside the head of the kinds of malevolent people you know, perhaps all too well, but could never understand. Starting with psychology as a frame of reference, Oakley uses cutting-edge images of the working brain to provide startling support for the idea that "evil" people act the way they do mainly as the result of a dysfunction. In fact, some deceitful, manipulative, and even sadistic behavior appears to be programmed genetically—suggesting that some people really are born to be bad. Oakley links the latest findings of molecular research to a wide array of seemingly unrelated historical and current phenomena, from the harems of the Ottomans and the chummy jokes of "Uncle Joe" Stalin, to the remarkable memory of investor Warren Buffet. Throughout, she never loses sight of the personal cost of evil genes as she unravels the mystery surrounding her sister’s enigmatic life—and death. Evil Genes is a tour-de-force of popular science writing that brilliantly melds scientific research with intriguing family history and puts both a human and scientific face to evil.

Stages of Evil

Stages of Evil

Author: Robert Lima

Publisher: University Press of Kentucky

Published: 2005-12-23

Total Pages: 342

ISBN-13: 0813171768

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“The evil that men do” has been chronicled for thousands of years on the European stage, and perhaps nowhere else is human fear of our own evil more detailed than in its personifications in theater. Early writers used theater to communicate human experiences and to display reverence for the gods governing daily life. Playwrights from Euripides onward sought inspiration from this interplay between the worldly and the occult, using human belief in the divine to govern characters’ actions within a dramatic arena. The constant adherence to the supernatural, despite changing religious ideologies over the centuries, testifies to a deep and continuing belief in the ability of a higher power to interfere in human life. Stages of Evil is the first book to examine the representation and relationship of evil and the occult from the prehistoric origins of drama through to the present day. Drawing on examples of magic, astronomy, demonology, possession, exorcism, fairies, vampires, witchcraft, hauntings, and voodoo, author Robert Lima explores how theater shaped American and European perceptions of the occult and how the dramatic works studied here reflect society back upon itself at different points in history. From representations of Dionysian rites in ancient Greece, to the Mouth of Hell in the Middle Ages, to the mystical cabalistic life of the Hasidic Jews, to the witchcraft and magic of the Elizabethan and Jacobean stage, Lima traces the recurrence of supernatural motifs in pivotal plays and performance works of the Western tradition. Considering numerous myths and cultural artifacts, such as the “wild man,” he describes the evolution and continual representation of supernatural archetypes on the modern stage. He also discusses the sociohistorical implications of Christian and pagan representations of evil and the theatrical creativity that occultism has engendered. Delving into his own theatrical, literary, folkloric, and travel experiences to enhance his observations, Lima assays the complex world of occultism and examines diverse works of Western theater and drama. A unique and comprehensive bibliography of European and American plays concludes the study and facilitates further research into the realm of the social and literary impact of the occult.


Book Synopsis Stages of Evil by : Robert Lima

Download or read book Stages of Evil written by Robert Lima and published by University Press of Kentucky. This book was released on 2005-12-23 with total page 342 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: “The evil that men do” has been chronicled for thousands of years on the European stage, and perhaps nowhere else is human fear of our own evil more detailed than in its personifications in theater. Early writers used theater to communicate human experiences and to display reverence for the gods governing daily life. Playwrights from Euripides onward sought inspiration from this interplay between the worldly and the occult, using human belief in the divine to govern characters’ actions within a dramatic arena. The constant adherence to the supernatural, despite changing religious ideologies over the centuries, testifies to a deep and continuing belief in the ability of a higher power to interfere in human life. Stages of Evil is the first book to examine the representation and relationship of evil and the occult from the prehistoric origins of drama through to the present day. Drawing on examples of magic, astronomy, demonology, possession, exorcism, fairies, vampires, witchcraft, hauntings, and voodoo, author Robert Lima explores how theater shaped American and European perceptions of the occult and how the dramatic works studied here reflect society back upon itself at different points in history. From representations of Dionysian rites in ancient Greece, to the Mouth of Hell in the Middle Ages, to the mystical cabalistic life of the Hasidic Jews, to the witchcraft and magic of the Elizabethan and Jacobean stage, Lima traces the recurrence of supernatural motifs in pivotal plays and performance works of the Western tradition. Considering numerous myths and cultural artifacts, such as the “wild man,” he describes the evolution and continual representation of supernatural archetypes on the modern stage. He also discusses the sociohistorical implications of Christian and pagan representations of evil and the theatrical creativity that occultism has engendered. Delving into his own theatrical, literary, folkloric, and travel experiences to enhance his observations, Lima assays the complex world of occultism and examines diverse works of Western theater and drama. A unique and comprehensive bibliography of European and American plays concludes the study and facilitates further research into the realm of the social and literary impact of the occult.

Myth of Evil

Myth of Evil

Author: Phillip Cole

Publisher: Edinburgh University Press

Published: 2006-06-12

Total Pages: 240

ISBN-13: 0748626859

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A philosophical history of the concept of evil in western culture. 'Evil is something to be feared, and historically, we shall see, it is the enemy within who has been seen as representing the most intense evil of all - the enemy who looks just like us, talks like us, and is just like us.' The Myth of Evil explores a contradiction: the belief that human beings cannot commit acts of pure evil, that they cannot inflict harm for its own sake, and the evidence that pure 'evil' truly is a human capacity. Acts of horror are committed not by inhuman 'monsters', but by ordinary human beings. This contradiction is clearest in the apparently 'extreme' acts of war criminals, terrorists, serial murderers, sex offenders and children who kill. Phillip Cole delves deep into our two, cosily established approaches to evil. There is the traditional approach where evil is a force which creates monsters in human shape. And there is the 'enlightened' perspective where evil is the consequence of the actions of misguided or mentally deranged agents. Cole rejects both approaches. Satan may have played a role in its evolution, but evil is really a myth we have created about ourselves. And to understand it fully, we must acknowledge this. Drawing on the philosophical ideas of Nietzsche, Arendt, Kant, Mary Midgley and others, as well as theology, psychoanalysis, fictional representations and contemporary political events such as the global 'war on terror', Cole presents an account of evil that is thorough and thought-provoking, and which, more fundamentally, compels us to reassess our understanding of human nature.


Book Synopsis Myth of Evil by : Phillip Cole

Download or read book Myth of Evil written by Phillip Cole and published by Edinburgh University Press. This book was released on 2006-06-12 with total page 240 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A philosophical history of the concept of evil in western culture. 'Evil is something to be feared, and historically, we shall see, it is the enemy within who has been seen as representing the most intense evil of all - the enemy who looks just like us, talks like us, and is just like us.' The Myth of Evil explores a contradiction: the belief that human beings cannot commit acts of pure evil, that they cannot inflict harm for its own sake, and the evidence that pure 'evil' truly is a human capacity. Acts of horror are committed not by inhuman 'monsters', but by ordinary human beings. This contradiction is clearest in the apparently 'extreme' acts of war criminals, terrorists, serial murderers, sex offenders and children who kill. Phillip Cole delves deep into our two, cosily established approaches to evil. There is the traditional approach where evil is a force which creates monsters in human shape. And there is the 'enlightened' perspective where evil is the consequence of the actions of misguided or mentally deranged agents. Cole rejects both approaches. Satan may have played a role in its evolution, but evil is really a myth we have created about ourselves. And to understand it fully, we must acknowledge this. Drawing on the philosophical ideas of Nietzsche, Arendt, Kant, Mary Midgley and others, as well as theology, psychoanalysis, fictional representations and contemporary political events such as the global 'war on terror', Cole presents an account of evil that is thorough and thought-provoking, and which, more fundamentally, compels us to reassess our understanding of human nature.

Animal Suffering and the Darwinian Problem of Evil

Animal Suffering and the Darwinian Problem of Evil

Author: John R. Schneider

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2020-03-26

Total Pages: 301

ISBN-13: 1108487602

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This book will be of interest to college faculty and advanced students interested in the relationship between religion and science, particularly at Christian colleges and seminaries. Its value is to offer an innovative Christian theological approach to the daunting problem that Darwinian animal suffering poses to belief in God.


Book Synopsis Animal Suffering and the Darwinian Problem of Evil by : John R. Schneider

Download or read book Animal Suffering and the Darwinian Problem of Evil written by John R. Schneider and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2020-03-26 with total page 301 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book will be of interest to college faculty and advanced students interested in the relationship between religion and science, particularly at Christian colleges and seminaries. Its value is to offer an innovative Christian theological approach to the daunting problem that Darwinian animal suffering poses to belief in God.

Early Modern Women and the Problem of Evil

Early Modern Women and the Problem of Evil

Author: Jill Graper Hernandez

Publisher: Routledge

Published: 2016-05-05

Total Pages: 158

ISBN-13: 131730733X

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Early Modern Women and the Problem of Evil examines the concept of theodicy—the attempt to reconcile divine perfection with the existence of evil—through the lens of early modern female scholars. This timely volume knits together the perennial problem of defining evil with current scholarly interest in women’s roles in the evolution of religious philosophy. Accessible for those without a background in philosophy or theology, Jill Graper Hernandez’s text will be of interest to upper-level undergraduates as well as graduate students and researchers.


Book Synopsis Early Modern Women and the Problem of Evil by : Jill Graper Hernandez

Download or read book Early Modern Women and the Problem of Evil written by Jill Graper Hernandez and published by Routledge. This book was released on 2016-05-05 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Early Modern Women and the Problem of Evil examines the concept of theodicy—the attempt to reconcile divine perfection with the existence of evil—through the lens of early modern female scholars. This timely volume knits together the perennial problem of defining evil with current scholarly interest in women’s roles in the evolution of religious philosophy. Accessible for those without a background in philosophy or theology, Jill Graper Hernandez’s text will be of interest to upper-level undergraduates as well as graduate students and researchers.