Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences explained the research of the phenomenon of evil – RBK

RAS Institute explained that research on evil refers to a scientific philosophical discussion

A senior employee of the institute said that the study raises issues related to scientific philosophical discussion, and the funds spent on it were not budgetary: they were allocated by the Russian Science Foundation

The study on evil and hell refers to “an absolutely scientific philosophical discussion,” Kirill Karpov, a senior research fellow at the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences (RAS), told RBC.

Earlier it became known that the institute spent 742 thousand rubles. for the study “Is the existence of hell evil”. Igor Gasparov, an associate professor, candidate of philosophical sciences, works at the Voronezh State Medical University named after V.I. N.N. Burlenko and the Higher School of Economics (NRU HSE). The contract was executed in October. In addition, the institute spent 742 thousand rubles. to perform the work “Useless freedom and the problem of hell” and 686 thousand rubles. for the research “The relational dimension of the problem of evil and mystical theodicy”. When asked to comment on the research at the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, RBC said earlier that it was carried out “within the framework of the law, within the framework of a grant that has been allocated.”

Karpov indicated that he was in charge of the scientific research “The Phenomenon of Evil: From Metaphysics to Theories of Morality”, within the framework of which the work “Is the existence of hell is evil?” “The Institute really made this purchase. <...> The scientific work discussed in the press is an analysis of atheistic arguments from evil. More specifically, the question of whether the existence of hell, as claimed in Christian dogma, is an argument against divine goodness. The argument is actively discussed in modern philosophy of religion. This is an absolutely scientific philosophical discussion, “the scientist emphasized. He added that Gasparov is “a very respected and knowledgeable specialist,” and the project was reviewed by the Russian Science Foundation (RSF), the article was double-peer reviewed. Study published by in the magazine “State, Religion, Church in Russia and Abroad” in the issue of December 30.

Karpov noted that the institute did not spend budget money on the research: it was funded by the Russian Science Foundation. The scientist explained that the contract went through the public procurement procedure, because the researcher participating in the project does not work at the Institute of Philosophy of the Russian Academy of Sciences, and it is this institution that is the main organization through which scientific research was carried out under the grant “The Phenomenon of Evil: From Metaphysics to Theories of Morality.” “This is the law. The institute and the staff followed the legislation of the Russian Federation, ”he stressed.