Lecture Notes on Evil and Human Existence

Introduction

• Discussion began in the mid-80s regarding the experience of nightmares about nuclear destruction.
• Notable amazement at how people continued their lives despite the existence of destructive weapons.
• Personal journey focused on understanding evil and what can be done about it.

Nature of Evil and Academic Perspectives

• Evil is not an academic issue but an existential one.
• Academics often avoid discussing absolute reality; however, understanding evil requires confronting it.

Distinguishing Tragedy from Evil

• Importance of defining what one means by evil.
• Reference to Jeffrey Burton Russell's work on the history of the Devil helped clarify this distinction.
• Evil must be differentiated from tragedy:
  • Tragedy: A condition of human existence reflecting our vulnerabilities.
  • Evil: Actions and intentions that are consciously malevolent.

Human Existence and Vulnerability

• Human beings confront the finite (our limitations) versus the infinite (the larger reality).
• Suffering is inherent to human existence due to our finitude.
• Every person will face death, illness, and mental distress.
• Insufficiency is built into our experience, leading to existential suffering.

The Concept of Limitation

• Biblical commentary: God lacks limitation, which is essential for being.
• Without limitations, there can be no meaningful choices or existence.
• Example given of a game illustrating that absence of constraints leads to paralysis in decision-making.

Vulnerability and Parenting

• Reflection on childhood and parental responsibility reveals inherent vulnerabilities in humans.
• Vulnerability is necessary for love and connection.
• Hypothetical scenarios of removing children's vulnerabilities lead to the loss of what makes them lovable.

The Aesthetic of Evil

• Evil manifests through warped aesthetics (e.g., MAD policy).
• Historical examples of evil include Auschwitz's motto and acts of dehumanization.
• Torture and unnecessary suffering exemplify evil acts as celebrations of horror.

Motivation Behind Evil Actions

• Evil actions arise primarily from arrogance and resentment.
• Historical narratives, like those in the Old Testament, explore the development of consciousness and moral awareness.
• Stories of Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel illustrate human self-consciousness and the emergence of moral sense.

Cain and Abel: A Moral Dichotomy

• Cain represents arrogance and resentment, while Abel embodies humility and acceptance of reality.
• Cain’s failure to make proper sacrifices illustrates human discontent stemming from his choices.
• The danger of withdrawing from the infinite leads to destructive consequences.

Consequences of Evil

• God's response to Cain demonstrates a refusal to perpetuate a cycle of revenge.
• The narrative warns against the consequences of failing to make appropriate sacrifices and the dangers of resentment.

The Flood: A Moral Warning

• The flood represents the result of continuous moral decay and failure to account for individual actions.
• Reference to historical figures who enacted change through moral courage (e.g., Gandhi, Mandela).

The Burden of Awareness

• Self-consciousness reveals the vulnerability of humans, leading to fear and avoidance.
• Individuals often avoid confronting their potential for evil and the responsibilities that come with self-awareness.

Conclusion

• Emphasizes the moral responsibility of individuals in an increasingly powerful technological society.
• Each person has the potential to contribute positively or negatively to human existence.
• The pursuit of character development based on truth and moral courage is essential to avoid descending into evil.
• The notion that every person is a potential center of positive change in the cosmos.