Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Evil

<p>Why ought we concern ourselves with understanding a concept of evil? It is an elusive and politically charged concept which critics argue has no explanatory power and is a relic of a superstitious and primitive religious past. Yet its widespread use persists today: we find it invoked by politicians, judges, journalists, and many others to express the view that certain actions, persons, institutions, or ideologies are not just morally problematic but require a special signifier to mark them out from the ordinary and commonplace. Therefore, the question of what a concept of evil could mean and how it fits into our moral vocabulary remains an important and pressing concern.</p><p>The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Evil provides an outstanding overview and exploration of these issues and more, bringing together an international team of scholars working on the concept of evil. Its 27 chapters cover the crucial discussions and arguments, both historical and contemporary, that are needed to properly understand the historical development and complexity of the concept of evil. The <i>Handbook</i> is divided into three parts:</p><ul> <p> </p> <li>Historical explorations of evil</li> <li>Recent secular explorations of evil</li> <li>Evil and other issues.</li> </ul><p>The Routledge Handbook of the Philosophy of Evil is essential reading for students and researchers in the fields of ethics and philosophy of psychology. It also provides important insights and background for anyone exploring the concept of evil in related subjects such as literature, politics, and religion.</p> <p>Introduction <i>Thomas Nys and Stephen de Wijze </i></p><p><strong>Part 1: Historical explorations of Evil </strong></p><p>1. Plato on Evil <i>Alina Scudieri </i></p><p>2. Augustine on Evil <i>Philip Cary </i></p><p>3. Aquinas on Evil <i>W. Matthews Grant </i></p><p>4. Machiavelli: The Drama of Politics and Its Inherent Evil <i>Giovanni Giorgini </i></p><p>5. Hobbes on Evil <i>Laurens van Apeldoorn </i></p><p>6. Leibniz On Evil: God’s Justice in the Best of All Possible Worlds <i>Agustín Echavarría </i></p><p>7. Jean-Jacques Rousseau on the Origin and Nature of Evil <i>Jason Neidleman </i></p><p>8. Kant: The Evil in All of Us <i>Matthé Scholten </i></p><p>9. Sade: Mushroom Clouds and Silver Linings <i>Thomas Nys </i></p><p>10. Nietzsche’s Critique of Morality and His Effort to Create an Evaluation ‘Beyond Good and Evil’ <i>Paul van Tongeren </i></p><p>11. Hannah Arendt’s Double Account of Evil: Political Superfluousness and Moral Thoughtlessness <i>Peg Birmingham </i></p><p>12. After the Fall: Camus on Evil <i>Matthew Sharpe </i></p><p><strong>Part 2: Recent Secular Explorations of Evil </strong></p><p>13. Deliver us from Evil: The Case for Scepticism <i>Phillip Cole </i></p><p>14. Does the term ‘evil’ have any explanatory power? <i>Eve Garrard </i></p><p>15. Defining the concept of evil: Insights from our pre-cognitive responses <i>Stephen de Wijze </i></p><p>16. Evil and Wrongdoing <i>Todd Calder </i></p><p>17. Evil Characters <i>Peter Brian Barry </i></p><p>18. Defining evil actions: Different approaches <i>Luke Russell </i></p><p>19. Different Substantive Conceptions of Evil Actions <i>Paul Formosa </i></p><p><strong>Part 3: Evil and other Issues </strong></p><p>20. Evil and Punishment <i>Leo Zaibert </i></p><p>21. Evil and Forgiveness <i>Kathryn J. Norlock </i></p><p>22. Evil and Freedom <i>Lars Fr. H. Svendsen </i></p><p>23. Evil and Power <i>Simona Forti </i></p><p>24. Evil and Childhood <i>Gideon Calder </i></p><p>25. Evil’s Diachronic Characteristics <i>Zachary J. Goldberg </i></p><p>26. Evil, Genocide, and Mass Atrocities <i>Jonathan Leader Maynard </i></p><p>27. Evil: A Comparative Overview <i>Michiel Leezenberg </i></p>