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Optimism without theism? Nagasawa on atheism, evolution, and evil

Abstract:
Nagasawa has argued that the suffering associated with evolution presents a greater challenge to atheism than to theism because that evil is incompatible with ‘existential optimism’ about the world—with seeing the world as an overall good place, and being thankful that we exist. I argue that even if atheism was incompatible with existential optimism in this way, this presents no threat to atheism. Moreover, it’s unclear how the suffering associated with evolution could on its own undermine existential optimism. Links between Nagasawa argument and the current debate about the axiology of (a)theism are also explored.
Publication status:
Published
Peer review status:
Peer reviewed

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Publisher copy:
10.1017/S003441252100024X

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Institution:
University of Oxford
Division:
HUMS
Sub department:
Philosophy Faculty
Role:
Author
ORCID:
0000-0002-6490-3247


Publisher:
Cambridge University Press
Journal:
Religious Studies More from this journal
Volume:
58
Issue:
4
Pages:
701 - 714
Publication date:
2021-08-02
Acceptance date:
2021-06-09
DOI:
EISSN:
1469-901X
ISSN:
0034-4125


Language:
English
Keywords:
Pubs id:
1181282
Local pid:
pubs:1181282
Deposit date:
2021-06-09
ARK identifier:

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