Images of Suffering

The aim of this chapter is to analyze the phenomenon of suffering. The author distinctly separates suffering from pain and highlights the experience of helplessness as a defining element of suffering. The chapter underscores that suffering compels us to reflect not only on life but also on suffering itself. The author considers whether it is possible to understand suffering and find solace through philosophy. Additionally, the author provides a philosophical reflection on biblical representations of suffering, such as the mothers who lost their children in the figures of Niobe and Mary, the Mother of Christ, as well as the image of Job’s suffering. In the final section, the author presents the perspectives of philosophers who have personally confronted suffering in their own lives.