God, Evil and Design: An Introduction to the Philosophical IssuesISBN: 978-1-4051-5770-4
Hardcover
240 pages
June 2008, Wiley-Blackwell
Other Available Formats: Paperback
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Although vast and complex, the universe is orderly in many ways,
and conditions at its beginning were right for the eventual
evolution of life on this planet. But with life there is death, and
with sentient life there is great pain and suffering, often with no
apparent justification or purpose. Taking these things together, is
it reasonable to conclude that the universe was brought about by
God? Moreover, does the magnitude of seemingly pointless suffering
square with the idea that God exists, or is it good reason to think
there is no God? These questions come up for many people, not just
religious believers, and are examined in this engaging and
thought-provoking book.
Starting out with no pre-disposition to theism, atheism, or agnosticism, God, Evil, and Design takes up these questions in order to see where an impartial investigation leads. To achieve impartiality, the reader is invited to simulate ignorance insofar as his or her own religious preference is concerned. With this approach, God, Evil, and Design provides both a fresh look at important and controversial issues in philosophy and an excellent introduction to the contemporary debates surrounding them. Lively and non-technical, this book will be accessible to anyone with an interest in these topics.