The Problem of Evil in Modern and Islamic Thought

The presence of various forms of evil and disasters has long posed a challenge for believers, prompting them to examine whether there is a conflict between the existence of evil and their understanding of God’s attributes. Conversely, atheists have often viewed this issue as supporting evidence for their stance. In modern times, numerous thinkers have grappled with this dilemma, seeking to provide answers grounded in their intellectual frameworks. The field of philosophy of religion is tasked with both exploring the philosophical implications of these questions and assessing the responses they elicit. The twelfth annual conference on the contemporary philosophy of religion (CPR2024) aims to shed light on new perspectives by exploring the problem of evil from novel angles, highlighting unexpected encounters. It also seeks to examine the relationship between Western approaches to this issue and Islamic perspectives.

Topics include, but are not restricted to the following:

  • Different Concepts of Evil and their relation to the Problem of Evil
  • Different Notions of Divine Attributes Regarding the Problem of Evil
  • Different Explanations of Afflictions and Their Relation to God
  • Evaluation of the Logical Problem of Evil
  • Evaluation of Evidential Problem of Evil
  • The Problem of Evil and Islamic Philosophers
  • The Problem of Evil and The Doctrines of Qur’ān and Ḥadiṯ
  • The Difference between Abrahamic and Non-Abrahamic Religions Regarding the Problem of Evil
  • Different Approaches of Kalam Schools Encountering the Problem of Evil
  • Neo-Ṣadrāian Approaches Toward the Problem of Evil
  • Evaluation of Death as an Evil for Humans and Animals
  • Different Explanations of Human Suffering (Existential Attitude) and its relation to God
  • Evils as a Justifier for atheism
  • Evils and Theism in Literature
  • Evils and Theism in Art
  • Evils and Theism in Scientific Analytics
  • Cinema and The Problem of Evil
  • Evils as Justifier for Meaninglessness of Life
  • Contemporary Arab and Iranian Intellectuals and the Problem of Evil

Academic Board

  1. Rahim Acar (Marmara University)
  2. Peter Adamson (Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität München)
  3. Recep Alpyağil (Istanbul University)
  4. Amir Abbas Alizamani (University of Tehran, Iran)
  5. Reza Akbari (Imam Sadiq University, Iran)
  6. Mahdi Akhavan (Allameh Tabataba’i University, Iran)
  7. Hamidreza Ayatollahy (Allameh Tabataba’i University, Iran)
  8. Mohammad Hassan Ghadrdan Gharamaleki (Research Institute for Islamic Studies and Culture)
  9. William Hasker (Huntington University, USA)
  10. Mohsen Jahed (Shahid Beheshti University, Iran)
  11. Mohsen Javadi (Qom University, Iran)
  12. Jari Kaukua (University of Jyväskylä, Finland
  13. Sahar Kavandi (Zanjan University, Iran)
  14. Muhammad Legenhausen (Khomeini Education and Research Institute, Iran)
  15. Jalal Peykani (PNU, Iran)
  16. Naeimeh Pourmohammadi (URD, Iran)
  17. Qodratullah Qorbani (Kharazmi University, Iran)
  18. Rasoul Rasoulipour (Kharazmi University, Iran)
  19. Bruce Reichenbach (Augsburg University)
  20. Sajjad Rizvi (University of Exeter, UK)
  21. Mahdi Sa’atchi (Shahid Motahari University, Iran)
  22. Mohammad Saeedimehr (Tarbiat Modares University, Iran)
  23. Meysam Sefidkhosh (Shahid Beheshti University, Iran)
  24. Kevin Timpe (Calvin University)

Chairman: Reza Akbari

Scientific Secretary: Hamidreza Ayatollahy

Director: Mohammad Mahdi Fallah

Important Dates:

The Date of the Conference: 14-15 May 2024

Abstract Submission: 6 April 2024 (EXTENDED)

Notification of Acceptance: 19 April 2024

Venue: Shahid Beheshti University, Tehran, Iran (map)

The conference will be held hybrid (both virtually and in person)

Submissions:

Proposals of papers should include a title, a 300-350 word abstract, at least 3 keywords, and the author’s affiliation and email address. The proposal should be sent via a submission form which is available here.

Registration Fee

The registration fee is 100€ (50% discount for students) and should be paid after receiving the acceptance letter.

This includes lunch for two days and refreshments. Accommodation and transportation should be covered by the attendees, but the conference will assist in suggesting and booking to the final participants.

Contact us: philorconf@gmail.com

Account/Telephone: +989029080340

full-size poster