Susan Neiman, a philosopher and director of the Einstein Forum, is known for her exploration of the concept of evil in her influential book, Evil in Modern Thought: An Alternative History of Philosophy. She argues that the concept of evil is central to Western philosophy, particularly as it has shaped our understanding of morality, reason, and human existence. Here’s a summary of her key ideas about evil:
1. Evil as a Philosophical Challenge
• Neiman contends that the problem of evil is not just theological but philosophical. It challenges our ability to make sense of the world, our values, and our place within it.
• She distinguishes between two kinds of responses to evil:
• Moral evil: Caused by human actions, such as war, cruelty, or genocide.
• Natural evil: Caused by natural disasters or diseases, which appear indifferent to human suffering.
• These two forms of evil create a tension between the way the world is and the way we believe it ought to be.
2. The Lisbon Earthquake as a Turning Point
• Neiman identifies the 1755 Lisbon earthquake as a pivotal moment in the Western understanding of evil. The devastation it caused raised questions about God’s justice (theodicy) and the nature of suffering in a world governed by a supposedly benevolent deity.
• Thinkers like Voltaire and Kant responded to this event by questioning traditional religious explanations of evil and turning toward secular and human-centered approaches.
3. Kant and the Shift Toward Moral Evil
• Neiman highlights Immanuel Kant’s contribution to the discussion of evil. For Kant, evil is not primarily a metaphysical or theological problem but a moral one rooted in human freedom and responsibility.
• Kant’s focus on moral evil shifted the discussion from explaining evil as a part of God’s plan to understanding it as a product of human agency and will.
4. The Enlightenment and Secular Perspectives
• Enlightenment thinkers sought to address evil through reason, science, and progress rather than theological explanations.
• Neiman argues that the Enlightenment did not “banish” the problem of evil but transformed it into a moral and political challenge, emphasizing human responsibility to reduce suffering and injustice.
5. Modernity and the Problem of Evil
• Neiman examines how events like the Holocaust shattered optimistic Enlightenment views of progress and forced a reevaluation of the concept of evil.
• She criticizes attempts to explain atrocities like the Holocaust purely in terms of sociopolitical or psychological factors, arguing that such events reveal the depths of human capacity for moral evil.
• Evil, in her view, resists simple explanations and forces us to confront the limits of reason and morality.
6. Evil and the Quest for Meaning
• Neiman argues that grappling with evil is central to the human quest for meaning. Our responses to evil reveal our values and our commitment to a just and moral world.
• She rejects both naive optimism (denying the reality of evil) and nihilism (denying the possibility of meaning), advocating for a stance that acknowledges the reality of evil while striving for moral progress.
7. Evil as a Philosophical Divider
• Neiman posits that the problem of evil has divided philosophers into two broad camps:
• Those who try to “justify” the world, such as Leibniz, who argued that we live in the “best of all possible worlds.”
• Those who “accuse” the world, like Voltaire, who emphasized the horrors of suffering and the inadequacy of any justification.
• This division reflects different attitudes toward the relationship between reason, morality, and the structure of the universe.
8. Evil and Responsibility
• For Neiman, the recognition of evil calls for responsibility rather than resignation. While we cannot eliminate all suffering or injustice, we must work toward a world that aligns more closely with our moral ideals.
In Summary
Susan Neiman views evil as a central philosophical problem that challenges our understanding of morality, reason, and human responsibility. She argues that modern philosophy has transformed the problem of evil from a theological question about God’s justice to a moral and existential question about human agency and the pursuit of justice. Neiman encourages a stance that neither denies the reality of evil nor succumbs to despair but confronts it as part of the ongoing struggle for meaning and moral progress.
