Several institutions provided crucial support that gave me time to write this book. The Shalom Hartman Institute offered the most congenial place to work in the State of Israel, as well as a fellowship enabling me to devote time to research. An ACLS senior fellowship allowed me to complete much of the writing during 1999–2000; good fortune, and the Rockefeller Foundation, allowed me to draft the final chapter at the Villa Serboni in Bellagio.
Earlier versions of some passages appeared in the following essays: “Metaphysics to Philosophy: Rousseau and the Problem of Evil,” in Reclaiming the History of Ethics: Essays for John Rawls, ed. B. Herman, C. Korsgaard, and A. Reath (Cambridge University Press, 1997); “Theodicy in Jerusalem,” in Hannah Arendt in Jerusalem, ed. S. Ascheim (University of California Press, 2001); and “What Is the Problem of Evil?” in Rethinking Evil: Contemporary Perspectives, ed. M. P. Lara (University of California Press, 2001).
This book was long in the making, and provides occasion for acknowledging debts incurred before work on it began. Though none of them would entirely agree with the way I’ve done it, I would like to thank the people who taught me how to do philosophy. In chronological order, I am indebted to Burton Dreben for using the resources of analytic philosophy to illuminate what he called the big picture; to Stanley Cavell for making space for culture within English-speaking philosophy; to John Rawls for showing how the history of philosophy is not merely an archive for philosophy but a part of it; to Margherita von Brentano for maintaining the Enlightenment’s strengths in full awareness of its weaknesses; to Jacob Taubes for making theological questions kosher for philosophical discourse. A number of friends and colleagues read the manuscript and offered vital criticism and encouragement. I am deeply if differently indebted to Richard Bernstein, Sander Gilman, Moshe Halbertal, Eva Illouz, Jeremy Bendik Keymer, Claudio Lange, Jonathan Lear, Iris Nachum, and James Ponet. Among the friends from whom I have learned, I must single out Irad Kimhi, who from the earliest stages spent countless hours helping me to think more clearly about the issues discussed here. Finally, Ian Malcolm was a superb editor, whose insight and engagement contributed much to improving the final shape of the book. Gabriele Karl provided expert and warmhearted secretarial support; Andreas Schulz’s assistance was invaluable in the preparation of the bibliography.
My children had more than the usual share of burdens to shoulder during the writing of this book; they did it with more than the usual grace. A dedication is but small thanks for the patience and love with which they accompany my work.