The suffering of non-human animals and the paradox of natural evil

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Daniel Braga Lourenço

Abstract

The present article analyses the paradox involving the problem of evil, especially the suffering that occurs due to natural phenomena (natural evil). Non-human animals are innocent creatures that can suffer as a result of these events. How to explain the existence of this evil, which causes a significant loss of experimental well-being and unnecessary suffering for these beings, in the face of the traditional concept of an omniscient, kind and almighty God? The argument from the problem of evil, specially the natural evil, constitutes the most fundamental threat to the traditional concept of the existence of God.

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Author Biography

Daniel Braga Lourenço, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ)

Adjunct Professor of Environmental Law at the Law School of the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRJ). Full Professor of Environmental Law at IBMEC/RJ. Professor of Law Theory on the Master's Degree in Law at the UniFG University Center. Coordinator of the Center for Environmental Ethics at UFRJ and the Animal Law Antilaboratory at UniFG. Research fellow at the Ânima Institute. Bachelor of Laws from the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro - PUCRio. Master of Laws from Gama Filho University. PhD in Law from Estácio de Sá University. Professor at the Lato Sensu Postgraduate Course in Animal Law at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon. Professor of the Lato Sensu Postgraduate Course in Bioethics at the Faculty of Law of the University of Lisbon. Professor of Lato Sensu Postgraduate Studies in Brazilian Environmental Law at PUCRio. Fellow of the Oxford Center for Animal Ethics.

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