Hum 201 microlesson mod 1

1. Humanities 201: Micro-lessons
LESSONS
Problem of Evil
Duality of Good and Evil
Law and Chaos
Problem of Evil
Would you like to know more?
Atheists argue that the existence of evil creates an inconsistent argument. God cannot be all-knowing, all-
powerful, and all-good and allow things like cancer, hurricanes, or plagues. Many theists, argue that this isn’t
true. Namely, that God is not all-knowing or all-good. Some will cite examples in the holy books, in which God is
jealous, envious, or wrathful. Other theists will cite the “free will defense”, simply human beings have the ability to
be evil and thus evil exists in the world. Truly, for us to be free, we must be allowed the choice of evil.
Why does evil exist? Theists argue that evil is a product of humankind, whereas atheists argue
evil disproves the existence of an omnipotent God. Truth be told, we do not really know why evil
exists. But the question does make for a great thought experiment! Yet, some part of all us
seems to need an answer to this question. It is almost fundamental to the way we live.
Evil comes in many forms. No matter your stance – theist, deist, or atheist – there is a
consensus, that evil exists and it is pervasive throughout the world and history. Where people
disagree seems to be with the role of God (or gods) in the existence of evil. Theists believe in an
omnipotent, omniscient, and omnibenevolent deity. Deniers of God, argue this creates a
contradiction: how can God be all good, all knowing, and all powerful and also allow evil to exist?
If God is all knowing, then He knows evil exists (in fact, He knows it will exist before it in fact
exists!). If He is all-powerful, then He can stop it. And if He is all-good, He would want to stop it.

2. Humanities 201: Micro-lessons
LESSONS
Problem of Evil
Duality of Good and Evil
Law and Chaos
Duality of Good and Evil
Would you like to know more?
Herman Hesse speculates, in his work Demian, if Cain was not in fact evil. If God is in
fact all-knowing and all-powerful, why would allow Cain to make the wrong offering? Or
allow Cain to kill his brother? Was Cain’s act, the first act of rebellion?
Salvador Dali, played with similar symbolism. Can you see find the connections between
Hesse’s work and Geopoliticus Child Watching the Birth of the New Man?
Are humans innately good or innately evil (or some combination of the two? William
Blake (1757 – 1827), poet, painter, and printmaker, believed: “Active evil is better
than passive good”. This is perhaps best seen in Blake’s work “The Marriage of
Heaven and Hell”. Here we discover this innate duality of good and evil, while being
exposed to the side of “evil” in a different way. Blake argues that “Good is the
passive that obeys reason” whereas “Evil is the active springing from Energy”.
Is Blake providing an answer to the “problem of evil”? Blake seems to redefine evil
as to incorporate freedom, anarchy, and disobedience. Interestingly, Blake is
addressing moral evil – the actions of humans. However, this does not address
natural evil – the things beyond human control. Certainly, a hurricane is not caused
by some sort of human rebellion.

3. Humanities 201: Micro-lessons
LESSONS
Problem of Evil
Duality of Good and Evil
Law and Chaos
Law and Chaos
Would you like to know more?
A number of theists argue that the reason evil exists is because we cannot good without evil (just as we cannot know
pleasure without pain, or warmth without cold). Though, a question arises – why do we need to know so much evil?
What level of goodness does the world need to offset or balance a genocide, children with cancer, or global hunger?
Remember, for the deists, an omni-present deity is reconcilable, because they do not believe that figure involves itself
with the daily affairs in humans. Thus good and evil, or law and chaos are mere products of human behavior.
What if the question was not of good and evil, but law and chaos? Blake,
Hesse, and Dali seem to portray the world in a different kind of duality,
one that stems back to ancient times: the war between law (order) and
chaos (disorder). Ancient religions and beliefs like those of the Greeks and
Persians (Zoroastrianism) portray the world in a constant dance between
too much order and too much disorder.
Aristotle, Locke, and Montesquieu each speak about law being the answer
to chaos. The rule of law means: the same laws are applied equally to all,
everyone has rights and responsibilities, laws are shared openly and
enforced impartially; all of which ensures a fair and just society.