Why Evil Exists
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Why Evil Exists
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Narrated by:
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Charles Mathewes
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Written by:
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Charles Mathewes
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The Great Courses
About this listen
Whether we view it in theological, philosophical, or psychological terms, evil remains both a deeply intriguing question and a crucially relevant global issue. Now, Professor Mathewes offers you a richly provocative and revealing encounter with the question of human evil - a dynamic inquiry into Western civilization's greatest thinking and insight on this critical subject.
With the inspired guidance of these 36 lectures, you'll engage with how both individual thinkers and larger trends of thought have faced evil, studying the work of major theologians, philosophers, poets, political theorists, novelists, psychologists, and journalists. You'll study the psychology of evil in Islamic theology, as well as the weighty meditations of St. Augustine, Thomas Aquinas, Anselm of Lyon, and Martin Luther. And among contemporary views, you'll grasp Arthur Cohen's extraordinary post-Holocaust reformulation of faith in a God whose reality "is our prefiguration" - the promise of what we may become.
Parallel with the theological accounts, you'll also study primary currents of Western secular thinking on evil in the work of key philosophers and social theorists. You'll investigate Thomas Hobbes's proposition that good and evil are invented constructs of human language, and Kant's conception of morality as located in the human will. You contemplate Freud's hypothesis of the "death drive," an innate, destructive force of the psyche, and Hannah Arendt's highly influential analysis of the "moral inversion" of Nazism.
So why does evil exist in the world? Join a deeply insightful teacher in facing this fascinating, primordial question - a chance to bring your own most discerning thought to a crucial challenge for our world.
PLEASE NOTE: When you purchase this title, the accompanying reference material will be available in your Library section along with the audio.
©2011 The Teaching Company, LLC (P)2011 The Great CoursesWhat listeners say about Why Evil Exists
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- General Prospero
- 2022-04-29
Excellent course
A very hard topic to discuss or even define. Prof does a great job. Covers a huge expanse of time, many thinkers, many different approaches to the subject. A good speaking voice and delivery, which is not always the case with these lecture series.
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- kyle
- 2021-07-16
very well done
should be a mandatory listen for all people in politics, religious/church leaders and military or all people in positions of power or authority over others. perhaps even high school students. if peaceful resolution to conflict is known and can be achieved it should be available to all...unfortunately ones perspective of what is good will likely always differ from another's perspective of good...and hence they will perceive each other as evil. in a way freedom and individuality which is a fundamental value of what a good society is, is itself the breeding ground of evil...surprised I don't recall the discussion of the Ying and the Yang in the lecture, as thre was mentioning that evil will always coexist with humans.
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- Amazon Customer
- 2018-01-05
My favourite in my collection!
This is hands-down my favourite Great Courses in my collection. Mathewes is engaging and thought provoking, and draws from a variety of sources from the Enuma Elish to the Arendt's report on the Eichamnn trial. I hope Mathewes does another Great Course!
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1 person found this helpful
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- Kharb
- 2022-07-30
Definitely worth a listen.
Clearly a gifted lecturer. Historical philosophy interesting. Would love to hear a 2015-2022 analysis.
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- Anonymous User
- 2022-07-31
amazing
probably my favorite lecture of the 6 or 7 listened to thus far. I've listen to this title a good 3 times.
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- Rainbow J.
- 2020-10-05
enriching, humbling, fascinating
if you're really intelligent but have a tendency to go too deep, pondering about all the shitty people and events in personal life and the world, and it gets you nowhere and you need answers; this lecture series is for you. However, there are no answers. But the realization that we are connected to 1000s and 1000s of years of human experience that has given birth to exactly the same questions as we ask today... this was enough to take a load off my shoulders. I have found so much comfort here and insight into the profoundity of our relationship between good and evil and our desire to understand it, or at least tackle it. This series also deals alot with Christian philosophy, which at first was very irritating to me, as I grew up Catholic and still get triggered when I come face to face with the discourse and language and seemingly lack of deep philosophical questioning. But as I get further and further into the series, I enjoy it more and it helps me understand how my parents beliefs have been formed by the church and really amazing thinkers (for better/for worst) how that has influenced my own way of seeing and how we can relate to each other and grow and have real conversations about our beliefs and moral codes, personal, familial and on a larger scale as well. This lecture series has informed so many conversations of late and is seriously enriching my life. I will listen to it again and take notes next time. Certainly one of the best Great Courses.
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2 people found this helpful
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- Dr Rape Eat
- 2020-11-03
Surprisingly Great
I didn’t care for the stuff past Dostoevsky and Conrad but for everything prior to that makes the purchase worth it.
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