Horror, ecstasy, God: In memoriam, John Updike
Journal article
Colledge, Richard. (2009). Horror, ecstasy, God: In memoriam, John Updike. Ethics Education. 15(1), pp. 42 - 60.
Authors | Colledge, Richard |
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Abstract | This paper looks to examine the closely connected themes of God’s existence, suffering and the goodness of the world in the work of American novelist, short-story writer, essayist and poet, John Updike, who died earlier this year. The text that structures the discussion is the syllogism he sets out in his semi-autobiographical work, Self-consciousness, which captures the thematic core of so much of his thought on these themes: viz, “If God does not exist, the world is a horror show; but the world is not a horror-show; therefore, God exists”. The discussion interweaves Updike with a various other conversation partners, in particular the late cultural anthropologist, Ernest Becker, and contemporary philosopher, William Desmond. |
Year | 2009 |
Journal | Ethics Education |
Journal citation | 15 (1), pp. 42 - 60 |
Publisher | Graduate School for Research in Philosophy and Theology, Australian Catholic University |
ISSN | 1444-8386 |
Open access | Open access |
Page range | 42 - 60 |
Research Group | School of Philosophy |
Publisher's version | |
Place of publication | Australia |
https://acuresearchbank.acu.edu.au/item/86z51/horror-ecstasy-god-in-memoriam-john-updike
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