1. Introduction: The Problem and the Approach = 1
1.1 What Is Evil? = 1
1.2 Approaches to Explanation = 3
1.3 Toward an Adequate Explanation = 4
1.4 The Approach = 7
Part One FORMS OF EVIL
2. The Sleep of Reason = 10
2.1 Crusade against the Cathars = 10
2.2 Possible Excuses = 15
2.3 Appeal to Faith = 18
2.4 The Permanent Threat of Faith = 22
2.5 Faith and Evil = 27
3. Perilous Dreams = 29
3.1 Background = 29
3.2 The Terror = 31
3.3 The Ideologue = 34
3.4 Justification by Ideology = 39
3.5 Ideology and Evil = 43
4. A Fatal Fusion = 47
4.1 Inferno = 47
4.2 The Man = 51
4.3 His Responsibility and Choices = 55
4.4 His Character = 59
4.5 Ambition and Evil = 63
5. The Revenge of Ruined Pride = 65
5.1 The Crimes and the Criminal = 65
5.2 The Vice = 71
5.3 The Motive = 75
5.4 The Judgment = 78
5.5 Envy and Evil = 81
6. Wickedness in High Places = 83
6.1 What Was Done = 83
6.2 Why It Was Done = 86
6.3 Failed justification = 89
6.4 Condemnation = 93
6.5 Honor and Evil = 97
7. Disenchantment with Ordinary Life = 101
7.1 The Psychopath = 101
7.2 Boredom = 105
7.3 Prevalence = 107
7.4 The Thrill of Evil = 113
7.5 Boredom and Evil = 115
8. Taking Stock = 118
8.1 Sources of Evil = 118
8.2 Responsibility = 121
8.3 Intention = 125
8.4 Realism about Evil = 128
8.5 The Approach = 132
Part Two EXPLANATIONS OF EVIL
9. External Explanations = 135
9.1 Four Types of Explanation = 135
9.2 Evil as Unavoidable = 137
9.3 Reasons against Explaining Evil as Unavoidable = 139
9.4 Evil as Corruption = 143
9.5 Reasons against Explaining Evil as Corruption = 146
10. A Biological Explanation = 149
10.1 Natural Goodness and Defect = 149
10.2 The Human Good = 151
10.3 Practical Reason = 156
10.4 What Reason Requires and Allows = 158
10.5 Nature and Evil = 160
11. Internal Explanations = 164
11.1 Evil as Malfunction = 164
11.2 Reasons against Explaining Evil as Malfunction = 166
11.3 Evil as Natural = 171
11.4 Reasons against Explaining Evil as Natural = 173
11.5 Transition to Mixed Explanation = 176
12. The Mixed Explanation = 181
12.1 Preamble = 181
12.2 The Conditions = 182
12.3 The Internal Condition = 185
12.4 The External Condition = 189
12.5 Reason = 194
13. Responsibility = 199
13.1 The Approach = 199
13.2 The Account = 202
13.3 Excuses = 206
13.4 Intention = 211
13.5 Shibboleths = 214
14. Toward Elementary Decency = 219
14.1 The Secular Problem of Evil = 219
14.2 Morality = 220
14.3 Internal Reasons = 225
14.4 External Reasons = 231
14.5 The Permanent Threat of Evil = 233
15. Conclusion: What Is to Be Done? = 235
15.1 Changing Internal Conditions = 235
15.2 Changing External Conditions = 239
15.3 Summary = 242
Notes = 245
Works Cited = 253
Index 259
1.1 What Is Evil? = 1
1.2 Approaches to Explanation = 3
1.3 Toward an Adequate Explanation = 4
1.4 The Approach = 7
Part One FORMS OF EVIL
2. The Sleep of Reason = 10
2.1 Crusade against the Cathars = 10
2.2 Possible Excuses = 15
2.3 Appeal to Faith = 18
2.4 The Permanent Threat of Faith = 22
2.5 Faith and Evil = 27
3. Perilous Dreams = 29
3.1 Background = 29
3.2 The Terror = 31
3.3 The Ideologue = 34
3.4 Justification by Ideology = 39
3.5 Ideology and Evil = 43
4. A Fatal Fusion = 47
4.1 Inferno = 47
4.2 The Man = 51
4.3 His Responsibility and Choices = 55
4.4 His Character = 59
4.5 Ambition and Evil = 63
5. The Revenge of Ruined Pride = 65
5.1 The Crimes and the Criminal = 65
5.2 The Vice = 71
5.3 The Motive = 75
5.4 The Judgment = 78
5.5 Envy and Evil = 81
6. Wickedness in High Places = 83
6.1 What Was Done = 83
6.2 Why It Was Done = 86
6.3 Failed justification = 89
6.4 Condemnation = 93
6.5 Honor and Evil = 97
7. Disenchantment with Ordinary Life = 101
7.1 The Psychopath = 101
7.2 Boredom = 105
7.3 Prevalence = 107
7.4 The Thrill of Evil = 113
7.5 Boredom and Evil = 115
8. Taking Stock = 118
8.1 Sources of Evil = 118
8.2 Responsibility = 121
8.3 Intention = 125
8.4 Realism about Evil = 128
8.5 The Approach = 132
Part Two EXPLANATIONS OF EVIL
9. External Explanations = 135
9.1 Four Types of Explanation = 135
9.2 Evil as Unavoidable = 137
9.3 Reasons against Explaining Evil as Unavoidable = 139
9.4 Evil as Corruption = 143
9.5 Reasons against Explaining Evil as Corruption = 146
10. A Biological Explanation = 149
10.1 Natural Goodness and Defect = 149
10.2 The Human Good = 151
10.3 Practical Reason = 156
10.4 What Reason Requires and Allows = 158
10.5 Nature and Evil = 160
11. Internal Explanations = 164
11.1 Evil as Malfunction = 164
11.2 Reasons against Explaining Evil as Malfunction = 166
11.3 Evil as Natural = 171
11.4 Reasons against Explaining Evil as Natural = 173
11.5 Transition to Mixed Explanation = 176
12. The Mixed Explanation = 181
12.1 Preamble = 181
12.2 The Conditions = 182
12.3 The Internal Condition = 185
12.4 The External Condition = 189
12.5 Reason = 194
13. Responsibility = 199
13.1 The Approach = 199
13.2 The Account = 202
13.3 Excuses = 206
13.4 Intention = 211
13.5 Shibboleths = 214
14. Toward Elementary Decency = 219
14.1 The Secular Problem of Evil = 219
14.2 Morality = 220
14.3 Internal Reasons = 225
14.4 External Reasons = 231
14.5 The Permanent Threat of Evil = 233
15. Conclusion: What Is to Be Done? = 235
15.1 Changing Internal Conditions = 235
15.2 Changing External Conditions = 239
15.3 Summary = 242
Notes = 245
Works Cited = 253
Index 259