Religion, Animals, and the Problem of Evil: A Decolonial Approach from Relational Ontology
The fact that there is animal suffering in the world seems to challenge the existence of God. This is because although we can find plausible reasons for the existence of human suffering (the pursuit of a greater good), it seems that the suffering of animals in the world is gratuitous and serves no f...
| Main Authors: | , |
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-07-01
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| Series: | Religions |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/8/676 |
| _version_ | 1797408200576729088 |
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| author | Luis Cordeiro-Rodrigues Pao-Shen Ho |
| author_facet | Luis Cordeiro-Rodrigues Pao-Shen Ho |
| author_sort | Luis Cordeiro-Rodrigues |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | The fact that there is animal suffering in the world seems to challenge the existence of God. This is because although we can find plausible reasons for the existence of human suffering (the pursuit of a greater good), it seems that the suffering of animals in the world is gratuitous and serves no function in terms of the pursuit of a greater good. In this article, however, we challenge the idea that animal suffering poses a problem to the existence of God by using an Afro-communitarian viewpoint. We contend that animal suffering is logically compatible with the existence of God because it can be understood as promoting different forms of social harmony. In particular, animal suffering can be understood as an enabler for being a subject and/or an object of communion. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:54:57Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-d10d35439f4f496ab8c4b3e8cb5cf363 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2077-1444 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-09T03:54:57Z |
| publishDate | 2022-07-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Religions |
| spelling | doaj.art-d10d35439f4f496ab8c4b3e8cb5cf3632023-12-03T14:22:41ZengMDPI AGReligions2077-14442022-07-0113867610.3390/rel13080676Religion, Animals, and the Problem of Evil: A Decolonial Approach from Relational OntologyLuis Cordeiro-Rodrigues0Pao-Shen Ho1Department of Philosophy, Yuelu Academy, Hunan University, Changsha 410012, ChinaDepartment of Philosophy, Soochow University, Suzhou 215123, ChinaThe fact that there is animal suffering in the world seems to challenge the existence of God. This is because although we can find plausible reasons for the existence of human suffering (the pursuit of a greater good), it seems that the suffering of animals in the world is gratuitous and serves no function in terms of the pursuit of a greater good. In this article, however, we challenge the idea that animal suffering poses a problem to the existence of God by using an Afro-communitarian viewpoint. We contend that animal suffering is logically compatible with the existence of God because it can be understood as promoting different forms of social harmony. In particular, animal suffering can be understood as an enabler for being a subject and/or an object of communion.https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/8/676animal sufferingthe problem of evilAfro-communitarianismAfrican philosophyanimal ethicsrelational ontology |
| spellingShingle | Luis Cordeiro-Rodrigues Pao-Shen Ho Religion, Animals, and the Problem of Evil: A Decolonial Approach from Relational Ontology Religions animal suffering the problem of evil Afro-communitarianism African philosophy animal ethics relational ontology |
| title | Religion, Animals, and the Problem of Evil: A Decolonial Approach from Relational Ontology |
| title_full | Religion, Animals, and the Problem of Evil: A Decolonial Approach from Relational Ontology |
| title_fullStr | Religion, Animals, and the Problem of Evil: A Decolonial Approach from Relational Ontology |
| title_full_unstemmed | Religion, Animals, and the Problem of Evil: A Decolonial Approach from Relational Ontology |
| title_short | Religion, Animals, and the Problem of Evil: A Decolonial Approach from Relational Ontology |
| title_sort | religion animals and the problem of evil a decolonial approach from relational ontology |
| topic | animal suffering the problem of evil Afro-communitarianism African philosophy animal ethics relational ontology |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/2077-1444/13/8/676 |
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