Psychology 331 - The Problem of Evil

Institution:

Colgate University

Subject:

Description:

C. Martin Why do bad things happen to good people Why does a benevolent, all-powerful God permit evil How do thinkers who reject religious understandings of human perversity theorize about the genesis and manifestations of moral error and evil Human suffering and evil disrupt and disorient people's lives and interpretations of the world. Experiences of genocide, terrorism, epidemics, natural disasters, and personal and systematic experiences of violence, oppression, and injustice have compelled people to address the problem of evil in every age. This course explores historical, philosophical, and religious perspectives on the etiology, manifestations, and functions of human suffering and evil within human societies. Particular attention is given to 1) explanatory theories about the problem of evil by post-Enlightenment philosophers, 2) explanatory theories arising from the theological problem of evil (Why does God permit evil ), and 3) constructions of the etiology of evil and responses to evil by feminists, womanists, and men and women within different societies and religions. Thinkers include Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, Immanuel Kant, the Marquis de Sade, Friedrich Nietzsche, Fyodor Dostoevsky, Augustine, and Hannah Arendt, Nel Noddings, John Mbiti, Toni Morrison, Eli Wiesel.

Credits:

3.00

Credit Hours:

Prerequisites:

Corequisites:

Exclusions:

Level:

Instructional Type:

Lecture

Notes:

Additional Information:

Historical Version(s):

Institution Website:

www.colgate.edu

Phone Number:

(315) 228-1000

Regional Accreditation:

Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools

Calendar System:

Semester

The Course Profile information is provided and updated by third parties including the respective institutions. While the institutions are able to update their information at any time, the information is not independently validated, and no party associated with this website can accept responsibility for its accuracy.