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The Problem of Evil and the Fictionalist Game of Make-Believe

Palmqvist, Carl-Johan LU (2026) In Boston Studies in Philosophy, Religion, and Public Life
Abstract
On religious fictionalism, the problem of evil becomes a problem about fictional inconsistency. How can the fiction contain both a perfectly good and omnipotent God, and a world full of suffering? Le Poidevin has presented three strategies a fictionalist might use to come to terms with the problem: to edit the fiction, to let the fiction remain open, and to let the fiction be paradoxical. In my view, most proponents of fictionalism, including Le Poidevin, overemphasises the linguistic side of fictionalism and fail to fully comprehend its practical side, i.e. the religious game of make-believe. I argue that if we understand the game of make-believe properly, we have reasons to reject all three of the strategies Le Poidevin considers.... (More)
On religious fictionalism, the problem of evil becomes a problem about fictional inconsistency. How can the fiction contain both a perfectly good and omnipotent God, and a world full of suffering? Le Poidevin has presented three strategies a fictionalist might use to come to terms with the problem: to edit the fiction, to let the fiction remain open, and to let the fiction be paradoxical. In my view, most proponents of fictionalism, including Le Poidevin, overemphasises the linguistic side of fictionalism and fail to fully comprehend its practical side, i.e. the religious game of make-believe. I argue that if we understand the game of make-believe properly, we have reasons to reject all three of the strategies Le Poidevin considers. Instead, I argue for a fourth strategy, the role-playing strategy. Instead of focusing on the fictional setting, like the three strategies discussed by Le Poidevin, my strategy concerns the character the fictionalist pretends to be in the religious game of make-believe. (Less)
Please use this url to cite or link to this publication:
author
organization
publishing date
type
Chapter in Book/Report/Conference proceeding
publication status
in press
subject
keywords
Fictionalism, Make-believe, Problem of Evil, Role-Playing, Immersion
host publication
Theodicies and Anti-Theodicies
series title
Boston Studies in Philosophy, Religion, and Public Life
editor
Snellman, Lauri and Jonbäck, Francis
publisher
Springer
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
1abad651-102b-4066-a6c5-3f262f1da720
date added to LUP
2026-01-26 11:18:44
date last changed
2026-01-29 16:45:51
@inbook{1abad651-102b-4066-a6c5-3f262f1da720,
  abstract     = {{On religious fictionalism, the problem of evil becomes a problem about fictional inconsistency. How can the fiction contain both a perfectly good and omnipotent God, and a world full of suffering? Le Poidevin has presented three strategies a fictionalist might use to come to terms with the problem: to edit the fiction, to let the fiction remain open, and to let the fiction be paradoxical. In my view, most proponents of fictionalism, including Le Poidevin, overemphasises the linguistic side of fictionalism and fail to fully comprehend its practical side, i.e. the religious game of make-believe. I argue that if we understand the game of make-believe properly, we have reasons to reject all three of the strategies Le Poidevin considers. Instead, I argue for a fourth strategy, the role-playing strategy. Instead of focusing on the fictional setting, like the three strategies discussed by Le Poidevin, my strategy concerns the character the fictionalist pretends to be in the religious game of make-believe.}},
  author       = {{Palmqvist, Carl-Johan}},
  booktitle    = {{Theodicies and Anti-Theodicies}},
  editor       = {{Snellman, Lauri and Jonbäck, Francis}},
  keywords     = {{Fictionalism; Make-believe; Problem of Evil; Role-Playing; Immersion}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  publisher    = {{Springer}},
  series       = {{Boston Studies in Philosophy, Religion, and Public Life}},
  title        = {{The Problem of Evil and the Fictionalist Game of Make-Believe}},
  year         = {{2026}},
}