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.