Is it possible to explain the existence of evil under the supposition of a supremely good creator? Are we ourselves the cause of most of the suffering that befalls us? Is life generally more painful than it is pleasant, and if so is non-existence preferable to existence? Is happiness ever even attainable?
These questions occupied some of the best-known philosophers of the seventeenth to nineteenth centuries—figures such as G. W. Leibniz, Pierre Bayle, David Hume, Jean-Jacques Rousseau, Voltaire, Immanuel Kant, Arthur Schopenhauer, and Friedrich Nietzsche. They were also richly discussed by writers often since excluded from the philosophical canon, such as Ottobah Cugoano, Mary Astell, and Olga Plumacher. In this unique and provocative anthology, one will find philosophers bending their intellectual efforts to the darker side of life.
Comments
“This excellent anthology opens fresh pathways into modern and nineteenth-century philosophy. Each selection has been meticulously edited for clarity and provided with a thoughtful introduction. The readings follow a coherent trajectory and complement r.ecent scholarship on evil, suffering, and pessimism. Both accessible and rigorous, this reader will appeal to students and scholars alike.” — Ian Proops, University of Texas at Austin
“This anthology brings together classic and lesser-known texts on the problem of evil in a strikingly original way, using a topic usually sidelined in early modern philosophy as a guiding framework for introducing the period. It provides an engaging entry point into the intellectual foundations of modern Western philosophy while also providing essential historical context for contemporary debates in the philosophy of religion.” — Michael Hickson, Trent University
“The readings are well chosen—I especially applaud the choices to start with Bayle and to end with Nietzsche. The editors’ introductions to each major section are helpful and clear without being simplistic, so that readers get a meaningful look not only at the content of each selection but also at the similarities and differences between the authors.” — Ted Kinnaman, George Mason University
“This volume provides a thoughtfully curated collection of texts from the ‘dark side’ of modern philosophy. It contains a good balance of optimism and pessimism, both about the human condition itself and about the possibility of finding any consolation. I often teach courses on the problem of evil in the early modern period, and this is the collection I will use next time I do.” — Adam Harmer, University of California, Riverside
