Non-ideal theory in the philosophy of religion
Exploring implications of non-ideal theorising for the problem of evil
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 10722771 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Gabriel Echazú (0009-0005-0070-9946, Uppsala University, corresponding author) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 62 |
| Issue | 1 |
| Pages | 32-47 |
| Publication date | 2026-03-01 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Religious Studies (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0034-4125 • E-ISSN: 1469-901X |
| Publisher | Cambridge University Press (CUP) (PUBLISHER) |
| DOI | 10.1017/s0034412524000611 |
| OpenAlex | W4404115589 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 28 |
This article explores the implications of non-ideal theorising for the problem of evil. The critique of ideal theory – which has gained increased attention in several philosophical sub-disciplines during recent years – states that analytic philosophers tend to rely on overly idealised conditions, to the point of being completely unrealistic, in their theorising. To investigate if this charge holds merit in the philosophy of religion, I apply a non-ideal methodology to one traditional area of philosophy of religion – the problem of evil. Here, Richard Swinburne’s theodicy constitutes a sample of how the problem of evil is typically approached in mainstream philosophy of religion. Additionally, Swinburne’s Principle of Credulity will, in relation to his theodicy, be interrogated as well. Applying non-ideal theorising, I find that Swinburne’s theorisation relies on idealised cases and presupposes ideal conditions, while overlooking non-ideal realities. Turning to epistemic injustice and epistemology of ignorance, I find that Swinburne assumes ideal epistemological conditions in both inter-agent communication (testimony), and in collective cognition. After examining the implications of such idealisations, I find that Swinburne’s idealisations abstract away non-ideal factors which are relevant for his theories, concluding that Swinburne displays tendencies typical of ideal theorising
Epistemology · Ideal (ethics) · Ideal theory · Pure mathematics · Epistemology, Ethics, and Metaphysics · Mathematics · Philosophy · Theology and Philosophy of Evil · War, Ethics, and Justification
Voices from the Edge
Providence and the Problem of Evil
Burdened Virtues
Banal Evil and Useless Knowledge
Non-ideal philosophy of language
Reply to Richard Gale
From “crib to coffin”
Race and Epistemologies of Ignorance
The Epistemology of Resistance
Nonideal Social Ontology
Ideal vs. Non‐ideal Theory
Ideal Theory” as Ideology
Toward a Non-Ideal Philosophy of Language
Non-Ideal Philosophy as Methodology
Systemic And Structural Racism
Whites' Beliefs about Blacks' Opportunity
Nonideal Theory and Content Externalism
| Highly cited | No |
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