The Sceptical Response to the Existential Problem of Systemic Suffering

Bibliographic Data

ID20251595
AuthorsFrancis Jonbäck (0000-0001-6313-1209, Uppsala University, corresponding author)
Year2021
Volume7
Issue1
Pages102-110
Publication date2021-03-29
Peer ReviewedYes
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueOpen Theology (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 2300-6579 • E-ISSN: 2300-6579
PublisherWalter de Gruyter GmbH (PUBLISHER • DE)
DOI10.1515/opth-2020-0151
OpenAlexW3141540726
LanguageEN
Citations received1
References cited12

Recently, Yujin Nagasawa has argued that “systemic suffering” – suffering inherent in the evolutionary process – poses a problem for existentially optimistic theists and atheists who think that the world is overall good and therefore are happy and thankful to be alive in it. In short, he shows that it is difficult to consistently believe that the world is overall good when also recognising the existence of systemic suffering. In this article, I evaluate a sceptical response to the problem. The idea behind the response is a sort of scepticism according to which we do not know whether our knowledge about the realm of values is representative. I argue that the response fails, but that theism in conjunction with such scepticism succeeds. Atheism in conjunction with such scepticism, on the other hand, does not. I also argue that atheists can at least consistently hope that the world is overall good, despite systemic suffering. Finally, I answer objections and conclude

Atheism · Epistemology · Existentialism · Political science · Realm · Skepticism · Theism · Law · Paranormal Experiences and Beliefs · Philosophical Ethics and Theory · Philosophy · Psychology · Theology and Philosophy of Evil

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