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Concept
of Evil in Non-Philosophical and
Dr.
Gary Myers In this presentation I will explore rhetorical strategies for productively discussing evil in modern contexts where the mention of the term raises immediate skepticism about the usefulness of the concept. I have in mind thoughtful but nontheologically and nonphilosophically minded communities of discourse. I am currently teaching what i would call a "seminar exploring the utility of a concept of evil for psychiatrists". Discussing the concept of evil with psychiatrists is both challenging and instructive. On the one hand, they do not dismiss the reality of evil, because they occasionally encounter the extremes of human depravity that actively resist cure. At the same time, they are uncomfortable with the concept, because they associate it with the supernatural or with subjective relativism, both of which are excluded by their scientific paradigm. Topics that will be addressed include psychiatrists' phenomenology of evil, the inherent difficulties of discussing evil in a modern context, how to frame the discussion for the scientific minded, pitfalls to avoid, an estimation of the utility of the concept, and reluctance to discuss the topic. I will hope to provide insight into the ways in which we might carry on a discourse about evil. Without such discourse we are finally silent on the topic, and silence is the very condition in which evil thrives unfettered.
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