The Problem of Social Evil, Dignity of Person, and the Rationality of Theodicy

Abstrakt

The problem of social and political evil has not been discussed in philosophy to the extent moral evil and natural evil has been discussed, especially in the context of theodicy. In this chapter it is argued that given that social and political evil took throughout the centuries more vicious forms than moral evil (committed by individuals) or natural evil (resulting from illness or natural disasters), and given that the traditional "justifications" of evil clearly fail when applied to social evil, a new conceptualization of the challenge of social and political evil - in the spirit of transnational and intergenerational solidarity, employing the idea of "public reason" and justice as fairness.

Klíčová slova

• social evil
• political evil
• social solidarity
• fairness
• justice
• impartiality
• cosmopolitanism