Kantian Antitheodicism and Job’s Sincerity

Abstract

Immanuel Kant’s “Über das Misslingen aller philosophischen Versuche in der Theodicee” (“On the Miscarriage of All Philosophical Trials in Theodicy”, 1791), inaugurates the modern theodicy versus antitheodicy debate. This chapter offers an exposition of Kant’s essay and sets the tone for the antitheodicism of the book. We argue that the “authentic theodicy” Kant proposes—and finds in the Book of Job—is an antitheodicy and that we should follow Kant in rejecting theodicies not only for intellectual but also for ethical reasons. This argument is developed both philosophically and by drawing attention to Kant’s use of literary figures, particularly those appearing in the Book of Job. According to Kant’s reading, Job’s key virtue in contrast to his “friends” is his sincerity, Aufrichtigkeit. This notion plays a major role in the argument of the subsequent chapters.