For many of us, the question of whether or not God exists is one of the most perplexing and profound questions of our lives, and numerous philosophers and theologians have debated it for centuries. Laura Ekstrom here takes a new look at the issue of God's existence by examining it against the reality of human suffering, bringing to the fore contentious presuppositions concerning agency and value at the core of the matter. When we survey the world, we observe an enormous amount of pain, including virtually unspeakable kinds of maltreatment and agony, many instances of which seem patently unfair, unearned, and pointless. This book argues that, in light of these observations, it is reasonable to conclude that God does not exist. The book unravels the extent and power of arguments from evil. Ekstrom provides a close investigation of a largely overlooked claim at the heart of major free-will-based responses to such arguments, namely that free will is worth it: sufficiently valuable to serve as the good that provides a God-justifying reason for permitting evil in the world. Through fresh examinations of traditional theodicies, Ekstrom develops an alternative line called divine intimacy theodicy, and makes an extended case for rejecting skeptical theism. The book takes up an argument from evil concerning a traditional doctrine of hell, which reveals a number of compelling issues concerning fault, agency, and blameworthiness. In response to recent work contending that the problem of evil is toothless because God is indifferent to human beings, Ekstrom defends the essential perfect moral goodness of God. She further tackles the question of whether or not it is possible to live a religious life as an agnostic or as an atheist. Through rigorous reflection, with deep respect for religious thought and experience, and with sensitivity to the range and kinds of suffering so many endure, Ekstrom firmly advances discussion of the problem of evil and paves the way for further scholarship in the philosophy of religion.

About the Author
Laura W. Ekstrom is Francis S. Haserot Professor of Philosophy at William & Mary. Ekstrom is the author of Free Will: A Philosophical Study (Westview Press, 1999) and the editor of Agency and Responsibility: Essays on the Metaphysics of Freedom (Westview Press, 2000). Her articles on free agency, autonomy, moral responsibility, chance, suffering, and compassion have appeared in journals including Synthese, Philosophy and Phenomenological Research, American Philosophical Quarterly, Midwest Studies in Philosophy, Journal of Medicine and Philosophy, Philosophical Studies, and Australasian Journal of Philosophy, as well as in edited collections published by such presses as Blackwell, Cambridge University Press, and Oxford University Press.

Reviews
Ekstrom's writings focus on issues of responsibility and free will. This book explores philosophical attempts to reconcile God's existence with the existence of suffering and evil....Ekstrom's writing is lucid, and she presents complex philosophical ideas with clarity, looking at the works of those with whom she disagrees charitably and giving them the strongest possible reading. She also argues for paying attention to emotional knowledge and treating evil not simply as a logical problem. This is an important book for students of the philosophy of religion...Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates; graduate students. * CHOICE *
Overall the book constitutes a powerful argument with which I recommend all theistic philosophers engage. * Leigh Vicens, International Journal for Philosophy of Religion *
This is a courageous book. Laura Ekstrom's treatment of the problem of suffering is far and away the most honest, sensitive, and thoughtful work I have ever seen on the topic. Ekstrom takes on the problem of suffering without flinching, displaying a just appreciation of the extent and nature of pain, all the while evincing a deep sympathy for religious life. This lucid and sensitive work should be read by theists and atheists alike. It's an enormously important contribution to the philosophical literature. * Louise Antony, Professor of Philosophy, University of Massachusetts, Amherst *
The free will defense has feet of clay. The problem of evil has left its unquiet grave and stalks anew, a zombie hungry for theist brains. So says Laura Ekstrom (more or less) in this challenging new book. Her arguments deserve a wide readership-and a good answer. * Brian Leftow, Professor of Philosophy, Rutgers University *
Laura Ekstrom is the very rare sort of philosopher who has done important work on both sides of the debate over the problem of evil. This is perhaps part of the explanation for why she is so successful in treating her opponents' positions with the level of care, rigor, and philosophical and theological sensitivity on display in this book. Whereas Ekstrom's earlier work developed what she calls the "divine intimacy" theodicy, this book subjects both theodical and defensive approaches to the problem of evil (including her own) to trenchant critique. It is an important contribution to the literature in philosophy of religion and quite simply the best and most comprehensive anti-theistic treatment of the problem of evil that I have encountered. * Michael Rea, Professor of Philosophy, University of Notre Dame *



Book Information
ISBN 9780197556412
Author Laura W. Ekstrom
Format Hardback
Page Count 248
Imprint Oxford University Press Inc
Publisher Oxford University Press Inc
Dimensions(mm) 155mm * 239mm * 25mm