Why Evil Exists

By: Charles Mathewes, The Great Courses

Narrated by: Charles Mathewes

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 Courses

The good of evil

Excellent course be cause of its many suggestions of the way that evil can be dealt with. If life is a donut with a big hole should we savor it resignedly or heroically or transcend it and be transfigured by it. As Yogi Berra said when you get to a fork take it.....thank you Prfessor.

Great wave top discussions on evil

I got this book so my wife and I could have something interesting to listen to. It started a bit slow and got a little dull in the middle but by the end I was listening as often as possible!

A History of Theories on Evil

What did you love best about Why Evil Exists?

I enjoyed the contemporary theories presented the most.

What was the most interesting aspect of this story? The least interesting?

I thought the theories surrounding genocide were the most interesting.

What about Professor Charles Mathewes’s performance did you like?

He is obviously very passionate and knowledgeable about the subject.

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

No, it was way too dense and too long.

Any additional comments?

I felt that theorists' views from earlier time periods were not as easy to understand or as enjoyable to learn about compared to the more contemporary perspectives. That said, the lecture was comprised of more historical views than modern views from the industrial period onward, unfortunately for me, but I still enjoyed the lectures overall.

a must for humanity

Too little in the form of intellectuals are among out millennial generation. Groups such as Black Lives Matter lack any foundation for their cause. We need modern day thinkers like Martin Luther King and not pokemon iphone kids without an agenda taking extreme measures without context to make a point. This lecture will be a foundation to enhance my goals to provide my children an understanding of the principles outlined from this pool of knowledge.

Karma has been good and the opportunity to come across this is from the good work our millennials did to get me to "click" the icon.

something to think about .

Amazing and exceeded my expectations

I learned so much and can think about things more critically now. The professor showed such a breadth of knowledge and had a passion in his delivery. Well worth the purchase and the time to listen.