Das Böse

Where does evil come from? How is it that we commit evil acts? These questions have accompanied Paul Ricoeur (1913-2005) - the philosopher and theologian who never referred to himself as such - since his earliest works. The present essay, which originated from a lecture that Ricoeur gave at the Theological Faculty of Lausanne in 1985, can serve as a representative example of his engagement with these questions. In light of the evil that the 20th century has produced, Ricoeur here illuminates in exemplary depth the various religious, mythological, and philosophical discourses on evil. He demonstrates how traditional theodicy, as well as thinkers like Kant, Hegel, and Barth, have attempted to address the problem posed by the existence of evil. Ricoeur himself advocates for a wisdom that refrains from (accusation).