Despite the title, this series of lectures does not, in the end, actually explain why evil exists. These lectures take us on an absorbing journey from ancient Babylonia to the twentieth century with many stops in between. This is a very rich subject. Like pornography, evil is difficult to define in any satisfactory way but we tend to know it when we see it.
Also, there were points, in some of the later lectures, when the ideas being expressed were so abstract and convoluted that I found it difficult to keep my mind from wandering. It was, nevertheless a wonderful brain-stretch.
I highly recommend this one. View 1 comment. Did I learn something? Did I understand everything? Probably not. Did I enjoy listening to this and kept thinking about it whenever I stopped listening? Do I recommend this? Most definitely. Dec 18, Bruce Katz rated it liked it Shelves: audio-books , great-courses-a-v. A mixed bag.
Some wonderful sessions in which I learned a great deal, and others that left me nothing but perplexed. Part of the problem, I feel, has to do with the fact that no effort is made to say what "Evil"is. Are "Good and Evil" the same as "Good and Bad"? Does Evil imply agency? Was the Black Death an outburst of Evil?
Was the Lisbon earthquake? Is the attribution of Evil contingent on time and place? For example, was the Spanish Inquisition an example of Evil? Is the Evil of taking the L A mixed bag. Is the Evil of taking the Lord's name in vain or working on the Sabbath in any way like the Evil of the Shoah? Professor Mathewes is a good lecturer. He's smart, personable, and he clearly knows his subject very well.
I wouldn't hesitate to take this course IRL so I could ask questions. Mar 11, Jim rated it really liked it Shelves: philosophy , religion , social , literature. From Gilgamesh to Oppenheimer Dr Mathews delves into the history of what we call evil For those thinking of listening to this lecture series know that Dr Mathews offers a well-organized, and very clearly presented set of lectures that are sometimes deeply philosophical, and, to some, spiritual, especially when he relates the thoughts of notable Christian writers.
I found the lectures stimulating and far more interesting than I thought they would be. At this point I would love to dive into a very-much one sided discussion about the philosophy of evil I would have loved to be in the classroom in which these lectures were presented and how evil and goodness for that matter are manifestations of our individual minds This could explain the great difficulty mankind has had in defining 'evil' with any degree of certainty. Sin, virtue, altruism, just like beauty is in the eyes and mind of the beholder.
Highly recommended. Aug 19, F. This was an interesting dive into western theological and philosophical discussions about what the nature of evil truly is, where it comes from, what it is, and whether or not evil really even exists. What this didn't cover was anything from the Eastern schools of religion or philosophy, but that wasn't neglected without mention.
Mathewes states out front that this will be the case and that there could be an entire companion volume of lectures delivered on that subject. This was interesting and This was an interesting dive into western theological and philosophical discussions about what the nature of evil truly is, where it comes from, what it is, and whether or not evil really even exists. This was interesting and it might have been made more so due to my listening to this while I was reading the book First They Killed My Father.
Thinking about those events in the context of some of the lectures and discourses from this audiobook was a really fascinating journey and one that made both of them more worthwhile. The title was clickbait enough for me and I admit I had preconceived ideas of what I thought this Great Course was going to reveal to me. I recommend the mindset of a blank but single focus if you start this course. After having to listen multiple times to the first 10 chapters, I got the pulse of the material.
The info presented on psychology, soc The title was clickbait enough for me and I admit I had preconceived ideas of what I thought this Great Course was going to reveal to me. The info presented on psychology, sociology and political science were exceptionally fascinating. The info is not as serious as I first imagined but still stimulating and interesting. As always, I learned far more than I expected and definitely caused me to want to reexamine what I believe in externally and internally.
Oct 07, Ben Inkster rated it really liked it. A good lecture series. Mathewes is engaging and entertaining. He covers the material well and encourages deep thoughts. My only minor complaint is that this is a distinctly western perspective on evil and only lightly touches on Eastern views. Sep 23, S. Kallahan rated it really liked it. I agree with another reviewer that the series gets off to a slow start, but after a few lectures Mathewes hits his stride and the series really takes off.
This is quite simply the most pleasant and intellectually engaging audio book from audible I've ever downloaded. The material and depth of the lectures is dense enough to warrant a re-listen, especially after I acquaint myself more with the many texts and authors he references throughout the lecture series.
Which was another great part of this series. Mathewes doesn't confine himself to classical philosophers and religious authorities, but branches into perspectives on evil through great works of literature in fiction, poetry, and our modern take on the subject post-holocaust and post Whatever expectations I had when I purchased this audio book were met and exceeded.
This lecture series is an invaluable resource for anyone interested in a genuine exploration of evil in the human condition. Highly Recommended! Would you recommend this audiobook to a friend? If so, why? I own dozens of Great Courses, many of them on history, philosophy, or religion.
This one has impressed me more deeply than any other course. The topic is crucially important. The ideas are presented fairly and honestly. The conclusions are sobering, perhaps even a bit scary. What did you like best about this story? The subject of evil and its origin has always interested me, not in a ghoulish sense but rather as a profound theological and philosophical mystery.
The professor explores this topic deeply in a way that is easy to follow. I was also impressed with how even ha deadly he treated two important thinkers Marx and Nietsche whom I strongly dislike. Which character — as performed by Professor Charles Mathewes — was your favorite? The lecture on Huck Finn and President Lincoln is the most fascinating lecture of all the hundreds of Great Courses lectures I have enyoyed.
For me, that lecture alone justified my purchase of the course. The title was clickbait enough for me and I admit I had preconceived ideas of what I thought this Great Course was going to reveal to me. I recommend the mindset of a blank but single focus if you start this course. After having to listen multiple times to the first 10 chapters, I got the pulse of the material.
The info presented on psychology, sociology and political science were exceptionally fascinating. The info is not as serious as I first imagined but still stimulating and interesting.
As always, I learned far more than I expected and definitely caused me to want to reexamine what I believe in externally and internally. I found this to be very insightful series. I found myself deeply moved to thinking about evil and how to articulate my thoughts.
I am so glad I listened. What did you love best about Why Evil Exists? It is thoroughly researched with many approaches to the understanding of evil throughout the ages.
What was one of the most memorable moments of Why Evil Exists? The approach to Eichmann's trial stands out. Sometimes the most horrific of evil is enacted as if it's another boring day at the office. He didn't perform characters but his speaking voice keeps you involved. Imagine what a great teacher who actually enjoys his job sounds like. If you were to make a film of this book, what would the tag line be?
Not possible but the title needs clarification. If you were looking for a deep analysis of evil as a force in this world, you may be disappointed. That said, this is as close as it will get through the Great Courses series.
I enjoyed each lecture and feel I got my full credit's worth with this title. I wanted to know about evil. This book was an eye opener. Not because it put it in context and made me think about how us humans think and experience evil but it asked questions about evil that I never thought about. The Holocaust, Pol Pot. Slavery, sin, lies, government sanctioned law and cultural considerations.
These lectures are worth listening to. If you really want to get the benefit from these lectures, I suggest listen to one or two a week, but then do the back ground reading on the lecture to give you a more rounded and in-depth feel for the subject. You really need to engage this subject so also find a theologian, deep thinker and really get your teeth into it.
These lectures are an excellent starting point. As we move into the 21 Century, I think this is a topic we need to really explore and debate. Well worth the time and money I spent on this book.
I am a frequent listener of the great courses series and find them to be excellent much of the time. Having just finished listening to why evil exists I found this course to be one of the best I have listened to in the many years that I have been following the series. Not only does it cover a broad expanse of material, but it does an excellent job of integrating the ideas presented and wrestling with them. I highly recommend this course to anyone who is willing to wrestle with the question of evil.
Should have researched more before putting out this flimsy and boring verbose snoozer. This lecture was everything I hoped it would be. It is my opinion that Professor Charles Mathewes performance was a modest example of perfection and he did us all a favor by digging into the subject and presenting us with 19 hours of entertaining history and philosophy.
If you're into philosophy and religion courses, this one is for you. What disappointed you about Why Evil Exists? Book should be titled 'Interpretation of Historic Writings'.
Every lecture is just taking some text and going through it, which does not answer the question why evil exists. Example would be whole lecture on how 'Dostoevsky in his 'Crime and Punishment' shows evil of nihilism in some way'. Then there's lecture for Niche, Marx and 36 of other writers, philosophers and activists. What reaction did this book spark in you? Anger, sadness, disappointment? This complex subject is dissected and analysed with depth and clarity. I'm particularly impressed with the non-religious source material as they tend to use Myth as fact which i find irritating and nonsensical.
Here, I'm particularly referring to the one god variety! More information about this seller Contact this seller.
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