Posted by Mitch Hodge on May 07, 19102 at 08:21:38:
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The html version of new@the.journal can be found at
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To all:
In this edition of new@the.journal, you will find information on the
following:
* 10th Edition Now Published!
* New Poll Question!
* New Examined Life Merchandise!
* How Would You Like Your Email?
* Call For Papers
* Closing Remarks
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The Examined Life (in cooperation with The Philosophers' Magazine
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philosophy quotes; FREE! If you have ever wondered who said what in
philosophy, or just need the right quote to top off your paper, this
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This program is a must for any philosopher's desktop, and The Examined
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EXAMINED LIFE PHILOSOPHY QUOTES (http://examinedlifejournal.com/quotes/)
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10th EDITION NOW PUBLISHED!
[ http://examinedlifejournal.com ]
Rome, April 29, 2002:
The Problem of Evil is a classical philosophical theme. Wonder about the
world, in which philosophy begins, is wonder at the beauty, the majesty,
the power in and of the universe. Almost immediately, we are forced to
reflect upon on the imperfections in the world, and in ourselves, as we
are in the world. The order of the universe astounds us, and often, in
our frustration, seems arrogantly unwilling to explain itself to us; never
more than when we consider our going out of the world after so short a
sojourn. We wonder that the infinity and perfection of the universe could
possibly lack anything at all- the very idea seems scandalous. We wonder
at the universe, still, though our wondering is embittered- we wonder at
the universe, yes, and we wonder that there is evil in it. How did it get
there? What does evil in the universe tell us about the universe itself?
In sum, why do bad things happen? Why do people do bad things? Is it
possible that what we call, "evil", might not be so, and that we are not
really able to say positively of anything, that it is evil? Is physical
evil, insofar as it is physical, not truly evil in any meaningful sense?
Is moral evil a chimera, and with it, is moral goodness to be considered
similarly? If evil is rooted in the notion of an omniscient, omnipotent
and omni benevolent being, are we mistaken in asserting the existence of
such a being in the moment in which we recognize ourselves incapable of
speaking of evil in any meaningful way? No serious thinker can long
escape these questions. No atheist can long afford to insist on the
notion of suffering as evil without recognizing the moral implications of
such an assertion, and the theological commitments that those implications
entail. Similarly, no theist can seriously ignore the simple, bare fact
of suffering, unless the theist and the atheist alike are willing to give
up their claims to intellectual honesty. There are no easy answers to
these questions. Indeed, very often, one might spend one's entire life in
the
The development of philosophical thought in the West has seen two major
strains of thought grow out of the problem of evil, and their opposites.
The first strain is theodicy, the attempt to reconcile the existence of
God with the presence of evil in the world. The second is the amoral
school of ethics, or, that tendency in ethical thought to deny the
existence of moral evil, and reducing the scope of ethics to the sphere of
semantic analysis. Theodicy has as its opposite, its negative corollary,
the school that suggests precisely that the presence of evil is
incompatible with classical philosophical claims about God. The amoral
ethical school has as many responses as it has forms in which it is
presented, all of which attempt in some way to prove that ethics is the
categorically normative science of human behavior. In the present issue
of The Examined Life several theodicies are offered, some drawing on
classical arguments and attempting to re-propose them in contemporary
context. Others offer phenomenological analysis of suffering and evil.
Still other pieces take a more analytical approach to the problem, often
accepting the semantics of value in order to stand atheists' own arguments
on their heads. As editor, I was surprised to find not one submission
offering an atheistic solution to the problem of evil.
We welcome Tony Clarke, who, in the commentaries section, suggests that
the role of religion, considered essentially, is that of bettering man and
therefore the world. Religious faith is therefore a useful concept, so
long as one is faithful, and not extreme either in excess or deficiency of
doctrinal adherence.
Returning to TEL in this edition is Shandon L. Guthrie, who offers us his
essay, "Concerning Theodore Drange's Argument from Evil for the
Nonexistence of God", an excellent and thought-provoking analysis of one
of the cornerstones of atheist thought.
Morgan Luck's piece, "Is God Good? The Implications of the Euthyphro
Problem and Abraham's Test of Faith upon the Importance of God in
Determining Moral Values", offers an interesting framework within which
several of the problems directly related to the Problem of Evil might be
resolved or obviated. We are pleased to collaborate with Mr. Luck.
With us for the first time, is Seyed Javad, whose, "The Problem of Evil:
some reflections", invites us to reconsider, from the ground up, the whole
history of evil and its significance within the larger framework of the
soul's erotic ascent to noesis. We are pleased, proud and honored to
welcome Dr. Javad to The Examined Life.
Stephen C. Small argues that contemporary treatment of the problem of evil
would benefit greatly from an analysis of the genesis of the human person
and personality. "Defining Other People and Ourselves", his brief and
insightful presentation of three fundamental works in existentialist
thought, points us in this direction. We welcome Dr. Small to TEL with
humble gratitude.
Returning to TEL is Ivan Alexander, whose piece, entitled, "The Nexus of
Fear", suggests that evil is a psychological problem in need of further
analysis as such. We are glad to have Mr. Alexander with us, once
again.
"You Can Take It With You: a perfectly portable definition of evil", is
the first of the semantic analyses offered for consideration in this
edition of the Journal. It comes to us from Jane Kerber, whom we are
pleased to welcome for the first time, and to whom we are thankful for her
collaboration.
David Cook offers an analysis of the problem of evil from an historical
perspective and a semantic one, in his work, "God, the Devil and Tao".
His essay is a mata-theodical analysis that sheds light on some of the
historical misconceptions rising out of semantic confusion among the
debaters in the history of thought, and offers a cross-cultural solution
to the difficulty. We welcome Mr. Cook to The Examined Life with warmth
and enthusiasm.
Finally, Cristoforo Rita joins us from Brescia, Italy, offering his work,
"Theological Misconceptions and Misunderstandings in Theodicy: or, what
the problem really is". Mr. Rita is a long-time reader of TEL, who makes
his first appearance in this edition. Welcome, Mr. Rita.
Once again, the editorship of TEL expresses its gratitude to all our
contributors.
Cheers,
Chris
Christopher R. Altieri
Editor
The Examined Life On-Line Journal of Philosophy
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NEW POLL QUESTION!
( http://examinedlifejournal.com/cgi-bin/poll/pollit.cgi )
Last edition we queuried or readers about the role that they thought logic
should play in contemporary philosophy. Here are the results:
A. Philosophy should be completely dependent 34.6%
B. Philosophy should be somewhat dependent. 53.8%
C. Philosophy should be completely Independent of logic 3.8%
D. Not sure. 0%
E. What is logic? 7.6%
This time we are asking about the topic of this edition. Do you think
that The Problem of Evil is a Real Problem for Theism? Visit the poll and
vote for the option which best expresses your views!
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FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN SUPPORT THE EXAMINED LIFE
http://examinedlifejournal.com/fundraising/
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NEW EXAMINED LIFE MERCHANDISE!
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Over the past several months, new merchandise has been filtering into The
Examined Life! From hats, to new mugs and shirts, the shop has something
to fit every philosophers taste. The newest edition to the shop is The
Examined Life Polo Shirt!
This shirt, made of cotton, sports the logo of The Examined Life on the
front, and features the painting, The Death of Socrates, on the back. It
is stylishly, dressing, and perfect for most occassions. Order yours
today from The Examined Life!
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SHOP THE EXAMINED LIFE!
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The Examined Life Shop offers a great selection of t-shirts and trinkets
that show your support for the journal. Stop by the shop and make your
selection today!
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HOW WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR EMAIL?
Most email clients today support html. This message, of course, you are
reading in text. The question I have for the readers of The Examined Life
is, how would you like your email?
If you think new@the.journal would be more appreciated in html and all the
perks that come with that, then let us know at
editor@examinedlifejournal.com. The links would be easier to follow, the
text would be more alive, and a picture can be worth a thousand words.
So, if you would like to start receiving your updates to The Examined Life
in HTML, the format of most web pages, then drop us a line and we will
work on designing an all new new@the.journal to arrive in your mailbox
every month.
If, on the other hand, you prefer the text format, let us know that as
well.
Drop us a line at
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and tell us how you would prefer your email!
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CALL FOR PAPERS
(http://examinedlifejournal.com/current/schedule.shtml)
POLITICS & PEACE - The August edition of The Examined Life On-Line
Philosophy Journal shall focus upon the theme of political philosophy.
Classical political philosophy is concerned with two fundamental
enterprises: the description of existing political institutions and the
theoretical construction of the best possible State. These two
enterprises, in their turn, are ancillary endeavors that serve the
overarching philosophical reflection of man in the world and with his
fellows.
Classical political philosophy has, however, come under heavy fire from
several fronts: sociology; the sociological school of political science;
(particularly Marxist) economic theory; the natural science of psychology,
to name but a few. The general question we wish to pose to our readership
for consideration, and to eventual contributors for treatment is: does
reflection on contemporary political structures have a place in the
contemporary philosophical project? Some issues to consider are: the
viability of 'just war theory' in the present age; the viability of the
nation-state in a global world; can peace be legislated?
In addition to these themes, or in conjunction with them, we consider that
an indispensable part of our understanding of the present state of
political philosophy (and its relevance or lack thereof with respect to
contemporary reality and philosophical endeavor in general) is a thorough
understanding of ancient political thought and the relationship of the
ancient political project with that of the modern and contemporary
schools. We look forward to all of your submissions, and thank you all for
your support!
Deadline for submissions is 15 July 2002.
PLATO'S LEGACY - The 12th edition of The Examined Life shall consider the
legacy that Plato left upon philosophical thought. As A.N. Whitehead once
said, "All philosophy is a footnote to Plato." With this in mind, the
journal will focus upon the thought, life and legacy of Plato, and how his
philosophical endevours continue to shape the way that we envision the
world in which we live.
This edition will also feature a roundtable on Plato's most famous theory,
the Theory of Forms. Contibutors to this forum will explore the long
standing debate over what Plato really meant by this theory, and how it
survives in present day form (no pun intended).
Submissions for this edition should seek to provide understanding of
Plato, his work, and his legacy.
BE AWARE THAT SOME CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE SUBMISSION PROCEDURE!
For more information about making a submission either visit:
http://examinedlifejournal.com/index.shtml#submit
or e-mail
editor@examinedlifejournal.com
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Looking for a way to help? The Examined Life is looking for volunteers to
edit, promote, design and develop the site. If you are interested in
helping with The Examined Life, please send mail to
editor@examinedlifejournal.com
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CONCLUDING REMARKS
This edition marks another milestone for The Examined Life. It is the
10th edition. It still amazes me to see how this project has taken off.
We offer our sincerest thanks to all those who have contributed their time
and thoughts to making TEL the success that it is. Truly, over time, it
has become a community of philosophers on the internet.
Also, I do apologize for getting this out to all of you a little late. I
had to keep my computer off for most of the weekend due to severe
thunderstorms (with a few tornadoes to boot!). Nevertheless, The Examined
Life Journal is ready for your review, and we hope to hear from you about
this latest edition. Thank you all for your continued support of this
project.
Thank you for your interest in The Examined Life,
Mitch Hodge and Chris Altieri
Editors
The Examined Life On-Line Philosophy Journal
http://committed.to/theexaminedlife
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