Theodicy in the Age of Algorithmic Suffering

Classical theodicy asks why a good God permits suffering; algorithmic theodicy asks why rational engineers build systems they know will maximize anxiety, comparison, and addictive behavior at population scale. The philosophical iteration here explores whether the defense of “unintended consequences” holds when engagement metrics are explicitly optimized and their psychological costs are well-documented. This draft argument proposes that designed suffering – suffering that emerges from intentional optimization choices – represents a distinct moral category from natural suffering and demands a different ethical framework.