Confronting the horror of natural evil: An exchange between Peter Coghlan and Nick Trakakis

Journal article

Coghlan, Peter and Trakakis, Nick. (2006). Confronting the horror of natural evil: An exchange between Peter Coghlan and Nick Trakakis. Sophia. 45(2), pp. 5 - 26. https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02782478
AuthorsCoghlan, Peter and Trakakis, Nick
Abstract

In this exchange, Peter Coghlan and Nick Trakakis discuss the problem of natural evil in the light of the recent Asian tsunami disaster. The exchange begins with an extract from a newspaper article written by Coghlan on the tsunami, followed by three rounds of replies and counter-replies, and ending with some final comments from Trakakis. While critical of any attempt to show that human life is good overall despite its natural evils, Coghlan argues that instances of natural evil, even horrific ones, can be justified as the unavoidable by-product of a natural system on which human life and culture depends. Trakakis, however, rejects this view, counselling instead a degree of skepticism about our ability to construct a plausible theodicy for horrific evil.

KeywordsHuman Life; Psychological Harm; Christian Tradition; Moral Evil; Natural Evil
Year2006
JournalSophia
Journal citation45 (2), pp. 5 - 26
ISSN1873-930X
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02782478
Page range5 - 26
Research GroupSchool of Philosophy
Publisher's version
File Access Level
Controlled
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