Abstract

In his essay “On the Miscarriage of All Philosophical Trials in Theodicy,” Immanuel Kant uses the literary figures of Job and his “friends” in his argument against theodicies. According to Kant, Job’s sincerity (rather than his patience in suffering) is his key virtue, in contrast to his “friends.” Theodicies turn out to be insincere and therefore morally flawed. This article examines the problem of evil from a perspective integrating literary reading and philosophy, arguing that the Kantian ethical criticism of theodicism based on the Book of Job is highly relevant to contemporary discussions of evil and theodicy.

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