Uploaded February 2022 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago

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0:00 Introduction
0:34 What is a theodicy?
4:21 The Value claim
5:00 The Impossibility claim
5:51 What are some of the most prominent goods contemporary philosophers have appealed to?
6:26 The Free Will theodicy
11:23 The Soul-Making theodicy
14:48 The Stable Natural Laws theodicy
19:38 What role does eschatology play in a theodicy?
26:26 Why do some philosophers say that theodicies themselves are an evil?
31:31 Do theists need a theodicy to be rational?
36:28 How do we measure the success of a theodicy?
39:09 Where does this leave us (conclusion)?

In this interview, I'm joined by Dr. Daniel Speak, a professor of philosophy at Loyola Marymount University. The discussion is based on chapter 5 of Dr. Speak's book linked below. He explains what a theodicy aims to show, how it is distinct from a defense, and some of the most prominent theodicies in the literature.

Dr. Speaks book on the Problem of Evil
amazon.com/Problem-Evil-Key-Concepts-Philosophy/dp/0745664075

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