The Thomistic Institute
Evil and the Goodness of God: Aquinas on the Problem of Evil | Prof. Gloria Frost
Mar 12, 2019
Prof. Gloria Frost discusses Thomas Aquinas' perspective on evil as a lack of good, examining how it relates to human suffering and divine consolation. The conversation explores the concept of finding goodness in the midst of evil, likening it to the positive aspects of cell division in cancer cases.
35:50
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Quick takeaways
- Aquinas defines evil as a lack of good, not a positive force, illustrated through examples like blindness or a bad car.
- According to Aquinas, diverse creatures with inherent suffering reflect God's goodness, with evil resulting from pursuing lower goods.
Deep dives
The Nature of Evil According to Aquinas
Aquinas challenges the traditional view of evil as a positive force by defining evil as a lack of good that should be present. He argues that concepts like blindness or a bad car illustrate evil as a deprivation rather than an additive quality. Aquinas's view is exemplified in an anecdote about a man named Morgan Bolt who equates cancer with natural phenomena, highlighting that evil is fundamentally a lack of order or regulation in what should be good.
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