The Law of Karma: A Philosophical Study

The Law of Karma: A Philosophical Study presents a systematic philosophical examination of karma as a fundamental principle in Indian religious thought. Bruce Reichenbach analyzes karma not merely as a cultural artifact but as a sophisticated explanatory framework that addresses core questions about moral causation, justice, and ultimate reality. The work demonstrates how karma functions as a theodicy within Hindu and Buddhist traditions, offering solutions to problems of evil and suffering that differ markedly from Western theistic approaches.

Reichenbach's analysis reveals karma as a natural law governing moral cause and effect, operating independently of any divine agent. This principle posits that all intentional actions generate consequences that must eventually be experienced by the agent, either in this life or future existences. The author examines how this framework addresses the problem of evil without recourse to divine providence or intervention, presenting suffering as the inevitable result of past actions rather than divine punishment or test. This naturalistic approach to moral order challenges Western assumptions about the necessity of a personal God for grounding ethics and cosmic justice.

The work engages critically with both Eastern and Western philosophical traditions. Reichenbach scrutinizes classical Indian texts while bringing analytical philosophical methods to bear on karmic doctrine. He addresses standard Western objections, including concerns about moral responsibility across lifetimes, the problem of infinite regress, and the compatibility of karma with human freedom. The study examines how karma relates to concepts of divine action in theistic versions of Hinduism, where God operates through rather than against karmic law.

Particularly significant is Reichenbach's treatment of karma as an alternative to Western theodicies. While Christian philosophers typically defend divine goodness despite evil's existence, karma dissolves the problem by making suffering the natural consequence of moral choices without implicating any deity. The work thus contributes to comparative philosophy of religion by demonstrating how non-theistic worldviews can address existential and moral questions traditionally associated with God-centered systems. Reichenbach's careful analysis shows how karma represents a comprehensive metaphysical system that explains cosmic justice, moral order, and human destiny without requiring a personal creator or judge, thereby expanding philosophical discourse beyond conventional theistic parameters.