Evolution and the problem of natural evil / Michael A. Corey.

Format:

Book

Author/Creator:

Corey, Michael Anthony, 1957-

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Evolution (Biology)--Religious aspects.

Evolution (Biology).

Theodicy.

Physical Description:

x, 367 pages ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Lanham, Md. : University Press of America, [2000]

Summary:

Is the evolutionary process intelligently designed? If so, why did the Creator choose such an evil-infested means to create the biosphere? What is the intrinsic nature of evil itself? Is natural evil necessary? Is evil compatible with the existence of God? Will the world's evils ever be totally redeemed? What place does humanity occupy in the cosmic scheme of things? Evolution and the Problem of Natural Evil attempts to answer these and other timeless questions by proposing a bold new conceptual synthesis that aggressively marries the tenets of modern developmental psychology to the basic concepts of classical theism. The end result of this novel approach is deeply encouraging, insofar as it places the problem of evil, as well as the general fate of human existence, in a much larger and more optimistic context than has traditionally been imagined.

Contents:

Evolution and Evil

Historical Background

Chapter 2 Empirical Support for Theistic Evolution 5

Lamarckism

Empirical Support for Neo-Lamarckism

Neo-Lamarckism and the Immune System

Genomic Stress and Extinction

Homeotic Genes

Introns and Evolution

Goldschmidt's "Hopeful Monster"

Polyploidy

Evolutionary Genes and the Origin of Species

Denton's Bid for Directed Evolution

Not by Chance

Self-Organization and the Rise of Species

Autoevolutionism

Molecular Drive and Concerted Evolution

Genetically Driven Evolution

The Explanatory Power of Masking Theory

Opportunism and Directed Evolution

Randomness and the Mutational Process

Three Types of Muations

The Role of Randomness in the Mutational Process

Randomness and Self-Organization

Holism and Directed Evolution

Chapter 3 Charles Darwin and the Problem of Natural Evil 75

Chapter 4 Moderate Anthropocentrism 85

Chapter 5 The Necessity of Evolution 93

The Validity of the Evolutionary Paradigm

Human Nature and the Developmental Process

The Principle of Existential Ownership

Human Development and Process Thought

"Data Disks" and the Human Mind

The Sanctity of Human Memory

The Primacy of the Developmental Process

The Character of the Human Developmental Process

The Link Between Evolution and Human Development

Unbroken Wholeness

The Biblical View

Chapter 6 Philosophical Theology and Theistic Evolution 131

God is Natural

Can God Act Acausally?

Divine Delegation

Theistic Evolution and Modern Science

Creation Ex Nihilo

Theistic Essentialism and Process Thought

Theistic Naturalism vs. Supernatural Naturalism

The More Plausible View

William Paley and the Theistic Evolutionist's Position

God and Time

Chapter 7 Evolution, Evil, and the Divine Goodness 151

Evolution and the Epistemic Distance Stipulation

Animal Suffering

The Ichneumons

Evolutionary Waste and Intelligent Design

Does the End Justify the Means?

Chapter 8 Evolution and the Nature of the Miraculous 167

Chapter 9 The Problem of Evil 175

Philosophical Statement of the Problem

Irenaean vs. Augustinian Theodicies

An Appropriate Reference Point

Chapter 10 Essentialism and the Theodicy Question 191

A Critique of Essentialism

The Hidden Nature of the Essentialist's Position

The Quest for Ultimate Explanation

Freedom and Human Nature

Existentialism and Human Self-Assembly

Is the Infant's Brain a Tabla Rasa?

The First-Hand Nature of Human Development

The Price of Freedom

Evil, Freedom, and the Image of God

Evidence for the Semi-Divine Status of Humanity

Chapter 11 The Anatomy of Moral Evil 217

The Intra-Human Origin of Moral Evil

The Link Between Mental Illness and Moral Evil

The Prevention of Moral Evil

The Role of Sin

The Shadow

Dysteleological Evil, the Cross, and Human Growth

Chapter 12 Evil and Modern Religious Philosophy 247

Apparent vs. Genuine Evil

The Justifiability of Putative Dysteleological Evil

The Developmentally Extended Free Will Defense

Transworld Depravity and Human Development

Entelechy and Evil

Evil as Non-Being

Barth's das Nichtige

Omnipotence and Evil

Freedom and the Possibility of Divine Intervention

An Infinitely Difficult Goal?

Evil and the Afterlife

Chapter 13 A Theodicy for Natural Evils 281

Natural Evil and Soul-Making

Nature and the Human Developmental Process

The Human Essence as a Structural Template

The "Fundamental Constants" of the Human Essence

The Role of Time

Human Character and the Earth's Geological Structure

The Inconspicuous Nature of this Contrivance

Spiritual Growth and the Survival of the Fittest

Evil and the Behavioral Incentive to Grow

Evil and the Second Law of Thermodynamics

The Path of Least Resistance

The Archetypal Nature of Natural Evils;

Animals as Archetypal Symbols

The Instructional Role of Natural Evil

The Body and Evil

Cancer and Neurosis

The Fragility of the Human Body

Death and Human Development

The Need for Pathogenic Microorganisms

The Need for Mind-Altering Substances

The Privation/Satiation Biological Cycle

The Need for Physical Limitations

Natural Evil and the Process Position

Freedom and the Great Chain of Behavioral Choices

Dialectical Balance in Nature and Human Life

The Likelihood of this Scenario

Relation to Hick's Theodicy

Necessity, Spiritual Growth, and Natural Evil

Why is Natural Evil a Problem to be Solved?

A Justifiable Means?

The Problem of Good

The God of Evolution.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references (pages [345]-359) and index.

ISBN:

0761818111

076181812X

OCLC:

45024517