Philosophy of Evil Essay

Total Length: 1124 words ( 4 double-spaced pages)

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Evil Problems

The role of evil is generally misunderstood in the human approach to life. The fear of committing evil lies paramount within all facets of society. The purpose of this essay is to argue that to solve the problem of evil, humanity must begin to embrace the benefits and solutions to problems that evil provides. This essay will first define the concept of evil and discuss the problem in a philosophic manner that can help transmute evil ideas into more productive energies that can be used for growth and evolution

Defining Evil

The power of words carry emotional value that create energetic fields that permeate in the environment. Some words carry great power and instantly polarize the conditioned mind into an immediate and often irrational emotional reaction. "Evil" carries with it spiritual, moral and ethical values and energy that suggest the word's meaning has super power on and over or minds. To understand what evil is, defining the term becomes prerequisite.

Using a standard approach, The Merriam-Webster Dictionary defines evil in three ways: "morally bad, causing harm or injury to someone and marked by bad luck or bad events." This standard acceptance of the word suggests that evil is something to be avoided and is detrimental to the human condition. The fear that is inherently assumed in this definition begins to shed light on the problem of evil and how it is mostly misunderstood as a positive force and should not be avoided.

Theodicy

Philosophy and religion have been created by man to help deal with using the power of evil for good purposes. The idea of theodicy, or a theological questioning to find the answer to why god allows evil, demonstrates the confusing and often misleading interpretation of the concept of evil. When understood in a certain way these religious ideas can be used to temper the confusion caused by evil but only when evil is first embraced and understood as something necessary.


The religious idea of theodicy gives us clues of navigating the problems that evil causes that resonate within the human soul, intellect and conscience. In religious circles that use the concept of evil for good often manipulate the concept to help construct meaning and purpose in their life. Boase (2008) suggested that "For communities which adhere to ethical monotheism, the struggle to construct meaning in light of suffering is an urgent task given the belief in a benevolent and loving God. Suffering raises questions about the nature of God, and God's relationship to evil. The quest to justify God in the face of suffering is the task of theodicy. Driving this quest are three central tenets; the belief in God's goodness, the belief in his power and the belief in the real occurrence of suffering."

Eastern religions also address the idea of suffering as evil. The eastern approach to evil seems much more scientific than the monotheistic, western development of evil and theodicy. The essence of enlightened eastern minds is to simply transmute the evil desires that cause suffering and find peace through inner meditation and resolution. This approach, instead of rebuking evil, determines a manner in which to include the process for benefit or gain.

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