Theodicy and Challenges of Science: Understanding God, Evil and Evolution (Volume II)
A special issue of Religions (ISSN 2077-1444).
Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (1 February 2024) | Viewed by 5347
Special Issue Editors
Interests: philosophy of science; philosophy of religion; neurophilosophy; philosophical anthropology; cognitive science of religion; ontology; theodicy
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: theology of science; theodicy; science–religion debate; Thomism; pilgrimage; medieval liturgy; philosophy of religion; religious freedom
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue aims to address one of the most challenging questions in theodicy: if God is infinitely good, how can there be so much pain and suffering in the evolutionary path of the human beings? Or more specifically, if God exists, why did He allow humans to develop cognitive mechanisms through the evolutionary process that produce behaviour that is evil or morally bad, causing pain and suffering to so many? Contributions aiming to rethink the interconnectedness of fundamental concepts such as evolution, nature, suffering, pain, values, evil, and good, are welcome. Often, “nature red in tooth and claw” is raised as an argument against the existence of God. However, can we consider nature and evolution from a broader perspective, providing a new framework for understanding pain and suffering? This Special Issue also welcomes contributions regarding the (evolutionary) cognitive science of religion, which poses serious challenges to theodicy and our understanding of the God–world relationship. Namely, the evolved moral bias of the in-group against the out-group for the goal of survival is considered a key factor in the development of attitudes that lead to harm and violence, such as prejudice and dehumanization. Nevertheless, the same biological fundaments and cognitive mechanisms also enable moral codes of religion that proclaim good moral behaviour, such as altruism, cooperation, and sentience. How can we incorporate these theories into theodicy and provide new perspectives on the issue? Contributors are encouraged not to rely exclusively on philosophical and theological theories, but to be open to scientific insights that suggest a reconsideration of the classical viewpoints in theodicy is necessary.
Dr. Saša Horvat
Prof. Dr. Piotr Roszak
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- theodicy
- evolution
- cognitive science of religion
- freedom
- providence
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