Fr. James Brent, O.P. discusses the nature of evil according to St. Thomas Aquinas. Topics include the metaphysics of evil as privation, different interpretations of perfection, the concept of evil as absence of good, and debunking misconceptions about completely evil beings.
Evil is a privation, a lack that is contrary to a thing's perfection, challenging dualistic views.
Goodness is prior to being, and evil is a lack within the inherently good nature of things, rejecting the idea of evil as a separate force or domain.
Deep dives
Evil as Privation and the Significance of the Privation Account
Evil is understood as a privation, a lack or absence of what is proper to a thing. This distinguishes evil from negation, which is simply lacking a perfection. Privation, however, is a lack that is contrary to the thing's perfection. The privation account of evil is significant in opposing dualistic views of good and evil. It denies the notion of equal ontological status of good and evil, emphasizing that goodness is prior to being, and evil is found in what is good. Therefore, it is impossible for something to be completely evil, as that would entail lacking all perfections, including being itself. This understanding challenges Gnosticism and the belief in a God of evil. The privation account also sheds light on the nature of evil in relation to beings, highlighting that evil is not a separate force or domain, but a lack and absence within the inherently good nature of things.
Goodness as Perfection and Evil as a Lack
Goodness is understood as perfection, which is the fulfillment or completion of a thing in its being. Properties flow from the essence of beings, contributing to their perfections. Perfection comes in degrees, varying according to the kind of perfections in different things. Evil, on the other hand, is a lack or absence of perfections. While negation refers to a simple lack, privation refers to a lack that is contrary to the thing's perfection. Evil is seen as a lack of what is proper to a thing, and while there are many negations of perfections in beings, it is important to recognize that all evil is found in what is fundamentally good. This understanding challenges the idea of a completely evil being and reinforces the notion that being itself is a good and that evil is a lack within that goodness.
The Relationship Between Evil and Goodness
Evil is understood as a privation, which means that it is not a positive entity or force in itself. Instead, it is a lack or absence within the inherently good nature of beings. Evil is not equal to goodness in terms of ontological status or power. Goodness, as perfection, is prior to being, while evil is a lack within that being. Every being seeks its own perfection, and evil arises when there is a lack of due perfection. The privation account of evil denies dualistic views of good and evil, emphasizing that evil exists within the context of what is fundamentally good. Even the devil, often considered evil, is not completely evil, as he still possesses being, which is a perfection in itself. This understanding challenges Gnostic perspectives and highlights the fundamental goodness of reality.
The Significance of Goodness and Evil in Metaphysics
The understanding of evil as a privation has significant implications in metaphysics. It rejects the idea of evil as a separate force or domain that clashes with goodness. Instead, it acknowledges that all being is fundamentally good, with evil being a lack or absence within that goodness. This understanding helps to counter notions of evil as a positive entity or power, and challenges the dualistic views of good and evil. It reinforces the idea that being itself is a good, and that evil arises from a lack of proper perfections. It also sheds light on the nature of evil in relation to the nature of beings and emphasizes the importance of recognizing the inherent goodness in all things.
This lecture was given on June 1st, 2023, at the 12th Annual Aquinas Philosophy Workshop at the Dominican House of Studies.
For more information on upcoming events, please visit our website: thomisticinstitute.org/upcoming-events
Speaker Bio:
Fr. James Brent, O.P. was born and raised in Michigan. He pursued his undergraduate and graduate studies in Philosophy, and completed his doctorate in Philosophy at Saint Louis University on the epistemic status of Christian beliefs according to Saint Thomas Aquinas. He has articles in the Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy on Natural Theology, in the Oxford Handbook of Thomas Aquinas on “God’s Knowledge and Will”, and an article forthcoming on “Thomas Aquinas” in the Oxford Handbook of the Epistemology of Theology. He earned his STL from the Pontifical Faculty of the Immaculate Conception, and was ordained a priest in the same year. He taught in the School of Philosophy at The Catholic University of America from 2010- 2014, and spent the year of 2014-2015 doing full time itinerant preaching on college campuses across the United States.
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