Hackett Publishing

John Perry—author of the acclaimed Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality (Hackett Publishing Co., 1978)—revisits Gretchen Weirob in this lively and absorbing dialogue on good, evil, and the existence of God. In the early part of the work, Gretchen and her friends consider whether evil provides a problem for those who believe in the perfection of God. As the discussion continues they consider the nature of human evil—whether, for example, fully rational actions can be intentionally evil. Recurring themes are the distinction between natural evil and evil done by free agents, and the problems the Holocaust and other cases of genocide pose for conceptions of the universe as a basically good place, or humans as basically good beings. Once again, Perry’s ability to get at the heart of matters combines with his exemplary skill at writing the dialogue form. An ideal volume for introducing students to the subtleties and intricacies of philosophical discussion.

"Perry’s work is an engaging, highly readable introduction to the problem of natural and moral evil with respect to belief in an omniscient, omnipotent, and morally perfect God. This dialogue would work well as a supplement in either an introduction to philosophy or philosophy of religion course. . . . Perry is to be commended for taking a very difficult subject and making it accessible to a more general audience.”
     —Jeff Wisdom, Biola University

John Perry is Professor of Philosophy, Stanford University.