Array
(
    [fullTitle] => Evil and the Problem of Impermanence in Medieval Japanese Philosophy
    [abstract] => 
The problem of evil is widely considered a problem only for traditional Western monotheists who believe that there is an omnipotent and morally perfect God. I argue, however, that the problem of evil, more specifically a variant of the problem of evil which I call the ‘problem of impermanence’, arises even for those adhering to the philosophical and religious traditions of the East. I analyse and assess various responses to the problem of impermanence found in medieval Japanese literature. I argue that the only response that is potentially satisfactory requires supernaturalism. I conclude, therefore, that the problem of impermanence is a unique problem posing a greater challenge to naturalists than to supernaturalists

    [authors] => Array
        (
            [0] => Array
                (
                    [givenName] => Yujin
                    [affiliation] => University of Birmingham
                )

        )

    [keywords] => Array
        (
        )

    [doi] => 10.24204/ejpr.2022.3816
    [datePublished] => 2022-10-22
    [pdf] => https://www.philosophy-of-religion.eu/menuscript/index.php/ejpr/article/view/3816/version/1201/2933
)
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Evil and the Problem of Impermanence in Medieval Japanese Philosophy

Yujin
University of Birmingham

DOI: https://doi.org/10.24204/ejpr.2022.3816

Abstract

The problem of evil is widely considered a problem only for traditional Western monotheists who believe that there is an omnipotent and morally perfect God. I argue, however, that the problem of evil, more specifically a variant of the problem of evil which I call the ‘problem of impermanence’, arises even for those adhering to the philosophical and religious traditions of the East. I analyse and assess various responses to the problem of impermanence found in medieval Japanese literature. I argue that the only response that is potentially satisfactory requires supernaturalism. I conclude, therefore, that the problem of impermanence is a unique problem posing a greater challenge to naturalists than to supernaturalists

Keywords:

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