The Thomistic Institute Evil as Privation | Prof. Thomas Ward
Jun 9, 2025
Thomas Ward, an Associate Professor of Philosophy at Baylor University, dives deep into the nature of evil from a classical Christian perspective. He explains that evil, as theologians like Augustine and Aquinas suggest, is not a substance but a privation of goodness. The conversation examines the interplay between free will and moral choices, emphasizing how evil can be understood as a corruption of good rather than a challenge to God's goodness. Ward encourages philosophical exploration while highlighting the importance of goodness as the core of existence.
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Evil as Privation of Goodness
- Evil is not a real thing but a lack or privation of goodness according to classical Christian thought.
- Great thinkers like Augustine, Aquinas, and Boethius argue evil corrupts goodness rather than existing positively.
Finite Goodness Limits Perfection
- God's creations are finitely good, so the world does not have to be the best possible.
- Multiple finitely good worlds exist with different qualities and goodness levels.
Evil Analogous to Blindness
- Evil is best understood analogously to blindness, a lack where there should be presence.
- Lack isn't bad in itself, but badness arises when something capable of good lacks it.
