By Lars Svendsen
Translated by Kerri A. Pierce
ISBN: 9781564785718
Publication Date: 4/1/2010
"It's normal to be evil," writes Lars Svendsen, in this latest contribution to contemporary philosophy; the problem is, we've lost the vocabulary to talk about it.
Despite its overuse in movies, political speeches, and news reports, the word "evil" is generally seen as either flagrant rhetoric or else an outdated concept: a medieval holdover with no bearing on our complex everyday reality. In A Philosophy of Evil, however, acclaimed philosopher Lars Svendsen argues that evil remains a concrete moral problem: that we're all its victims, and all guilty of committing evil acts. Taking up this problem—how do we speak about evil? A Philosophy of Evil treats evil as an ordinary aspect of contemporary life, with implications that are moral, political, and above all, practical. Because, as Svendsen says, "Evil should never be justifies, should never be explained away—it should be fought."
Reviews
"Svendsen has a way with words, and, unlike many writers of philosophy books, is also blessed with a sly wit and a thorough knowledge of popular culture." —Phil Miller, The Glasgow Herald
“He has a light touch and a playful attitude.” —Tom Hodgkinson, New Statesman
“Another outstanding, well-written book from the young Norwegian philosopher.” —Politiken
Biographical Information
Lars Svendsen is professor in the Department of Philosophy at the University of Bergen, Norway. His books have been translated into more than 25 languages.
Kerri A. Pierce is the translator of Mela Hartwig's Am I a Redundant Human Being? for Dalkey Archive Press. She translates from German, Danish, Dutch, Portuguese, Spanish, Norwegian, and Swedish.