[Buddha-l] Kaufman's Karmic Theodiocy

[Malcolm Dean]

> W.R.P. Kaufman, "Karma, Rebirth, and the Problem of Evil,"
> Philosophy East and West, 55(1), pp. 15-32.
> 
> the author raised five moral objections to karma:
> 
>    1. The problem of memory
>    2. The problem of proportionality
>    3. Infinite regress
>    4. The problem of explaining death
>    5. The free will problem
>
> What are people's opinions?

Aw, what the heck. I haven't had a good whack from Zen Master Hayes for quite a while...

My opinion is: never send a Western Philosopher to do a Man's Job. They talk a fine cant, but act as if analytical argument has some privileged access to truth.

Kaufman's abstract ends with:
" These objections, either separately or taken together, provide (it is argued) sufficient reason to doubt whether the doctrine of karma and rebirth can in fact provide a satisfactory theodicy."

In the Catholic Encyclopedia we find:
"The first and most important task of theodicy is to prove the existence of God."

(This from the same source which defines Buddhism as a "religious, monastic system, founded c. 500 B.C. on the basis of pantheistic Brahminism.")

Poor Kaufman is confused on three counts. His understanding of karma is clearly minimal; he applies Catholic aims and terminology to an aspect of very different systems; and he thinks he can talk his way out a paper bag.


Malcolm Dean
Hollywood