John Perry is Professor of Philosophy, Stanford University.
Summary
John Perry�author of the acclaimed Dialogue on Personal Identity and Immortality (Hackett Publishing
Co., 1978)�revisits Gretchen Weirob in this lively and absorbing dialogue on good, evil, and the existence of God.
In the early part of the work, Gretchen and her friends consider whether evil provides a problem for those who
believe in the perfection of God. As the discussion continues they consider the nature of human evil�whether, for
example, fully rational actions can be intentionally evil. Recurring themes are the distinction between natural
evil and evil done by free agents, and the problems the Holocaust and other cases of genocide pose for conceptions
of the universe as a basically good place, or humans as basically good beings. Once again, Perry�s ability to get
at the heart of matters combines with his exemplary skill at writing the dialogue form. An ideal volume for introducing
students to the subtleties and intricacies of philosophical discussion.
