HUMAN DIGNITY AND THE PROBLEM OF EVIL
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.6574280Keywords:
Human dignity, problem of evil, the Holocaust, Stalinist trials, Adolf Eichmann, Ellie WieselAbstract
The manifestation of evil poses one of the greatest challenges to the notion of human dignity. This article starts from the premise that it is profitable to conceive of human dignity in a negative way, by identifying aspects of human societal behaviour that constitute attacks on, and abuses of, human rights and liberties. It then offers a discussion of evil and its manifestations as challenge to human dignity, exemplified by the Holocaust, the Stalinist trials and by Adolf Eichmann. The article concludes with an account of Ellie Wiesel’s theological response to the problem of evil, identifying in it a way towards partial restoration of dignity for victims of abuse.
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