About this episode
<p>What is evil? Who is evil? Does evil exist? Who decides? Can we scream over turkey at grandma’s house? Let’s chat Critical Ponerology with scholar, professor, author of <i>Evil: A Critical Primer,</i> and a gem of a person, Dr. Kenneth MacKendrick of the University of Manitoba. He’s been teaching courses on the notion of evil for 25 years and it’s a much deeper rabbit hole than you’d ever expect. So rub your fingers together and enjoy a discussion about different cultural approaches to evil, if your toddler is evil, vampires, angry mobs seeking vigilante justice, news personalities saying unhinged things, and subjects vs. objects. Also: why you should be nicer to your coffee table. </p><p>Get Dr. MacKendrick’s book, <i>Evil: A Critical Primer</i>, on <a href="https://www.amazon.com/Evil-Critical-Primer-Concepts-Religion/dp/1781796181" target="_blank">Amazon</a> or <a href="https://bookshop.org/p/books/evil-a-critical-primer-kenneth-g-mackendrick/19719624" target="_blank">Bookshop.org</a></p><p>A donation went to <a href="https://www.npdwc.org/" target="_blank">North Point Douglas Women’s Centre</a></p><p><a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/criticalponerology">More episode sources and links</a></p><p><a href="https://pod.link/1746567248">Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes</a></p><p>Other episodes you may enjoy: <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/spooktober">Spooktober: Topics to Startle and Love</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/demonology">Demonology (EVIL SPIRITS)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/vampirology">Vampirology (VAMPIRES)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/teratology">Teratology (MONSTERS)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/genocidology">Genocidology (CRIMES OF ATROCITY)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/momiology">Momiology (MUMMIFICATION)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/witchology">Witchology (WITCHES & WITCHCRAFT)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/indigenouspedology">Indigenous Pedology (SOIL SCIENCE)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/environmentaltoxicology">Environmental Toxicology (POISONS + TRAIN DERAILMENT)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/disinfectiology">Disinfectiology (BLEACH)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/ocdneurobiology">Obsessive-Compulsive Neurobiology (OCD)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/disgustology">Disgustology (REPULSION TO GROSS STUFF)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/medievalcodicology">Medieval Codicology (WEIRD OLD MANUSCRIPT ART & MEMES & SNAILS)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/victimology">Victimology (CRIME VICTIMS)</a>, <a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies/artificialintelligenceethicology">Artificial Intelligence Ethicology (WILL A.I. CRASH OUT?)</a></p><p><a href="https://www.alieward.com/ologies-by-topic">400+ Ologies episodes sorted by topic</a></p><p><a href="https://pod.link/1746567248">Smologies (short, classroom-safe) episodes</a></p><p><a href="https://alieward.com/ologies-sponsors">Sponsors of Ologies</a></p><p><a href="https://alieward.com/ologies-extras">Transcripts and bleeped episodes</a></p><p><a href="https://www.patreon.com/ologies" target="_blank">Become a patron of Ologies</a> for as little as a buck a month</p><p><a href="https://www.ologiesmerch.com/" target="_blank">OlogiesMerch.com</a> has hats, shirts, hoodies, totes!</p><p>Follow Ologies on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/ologies" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/ologies.bsky.social" target="_blank">Bluesky</a></p><p>Follow Alie Ward on <a href="https://www.instagram.com/alieward" target="_blank">Instagram</a> and <a href="https://www.tiktok.com/@alie_ologies" target="_blank">TikTok</a></p><p>Editing by Mercedes Maitland of <a href="http://maitlandaudio.com/" target="_blank">Maitland Audio Productions</a> and <a href="https://www.jecmusic.com/" target="_blank">Jake Chaffee</a></p><p>Managing Director: Susan Hale</p><p>Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth</p><p>Transcripts by Aveline Malek </p><p>Website by <a href="https://www.kellyrdwyer.com/photo" target="_blank">Kelly R. Dwyer</a></p><p>Theme song by Nick Thorburn</p><br/> <p>Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See <a href="https://pcm.adswizz.com">pcm.adswizz.com</a> for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.</p>