A Philosophy of Evil

"Mankind’s biggest problem is not so much that there is a excess of aggression, but that there is a shortage of reflection."

What is evil? Who is evil? How do we fight evil? How is evil characterised in a modern and post-modern society? A Philosophy of Evil is a philosophical inquiry into evil as a phenomenon, consisting of two parts. The first part is about the philosophical history of evil, where Svendsen presents the thoughts of philosophers from Antiquity up to today, grappling with the question: What is the essence of evil? The second part is concerned with the phenomenology of evil. Drawing on a variety of sources including literature, paintings, academic studies, film and music, Svendsen attempts to reveal myths about evil, for instance the one saying that there is a connection between low self-esteem and evil acts.

Praise for A Philosophy of Evil:

"...almost historical...a magnificent book"
(Information)

"There is a lot to be learned from this book... It reveals several truths that we would have been more comfortable not knowing"
(Morgenbladet)

"...another outstanding, well-written book from the young, Norwegian philosopher"
(Politiken)

" With clarity and enthusiasm, Norwegian philosopher Lars Svendsen suceeds in discussing the difficult problem of Evil"
(Göteborgsposten, Gothenburg)

Translations: Danish (Klim), Russian (Progress Tradition), Serbian (Geopoetika), Swedish (Natur och Kultur)

First published: 2001, Universitetsforlaget

Lars Svendsen: Biography and bibliography

Rights sold to