Atheism, Gnosticism & the Problem of Evil

[Seax]

No, but humans (and other cognitively advanced animals) are capable of acting in unnatural ways.

By unnatural, I mean contrary to what is naturally advantageous. There are things that are completely impossible in nature, like a four sided triangle, and then there are things that are impossible in the long run because they are conflict with the laws of nature; because they are against the Will of God. This includes everything from the elements that rearly occur naturally and decay quickly, to behaviors or actions. Humans that act in ways contrary to what is naturally advantageous, that engage in pathological behavior, can be said to be acting unnaturally, and we are by no means the only species to engage in pathological behavior.

This is evil.

So, if evil doesn't exist in nature, and evil is the result of acting in way that are not naturally advantageous, then evil HAS to exist in nature.

Let's say that a volcano erupts and spews billions of tonnes of toxic gases and burning ash into the air. The resulting contamination kills millions of plants and animals, including some that filled unique and necessary environmental niches. The deaths of these organisms creates a cascade effect that causes even more widespread damage to the biosphere, eventually cutting off food, water and harbourage for hundreds more species. According to any common, sensible interpretation of the term, such an eruption would qualify as 'natural evil', since the volcano had no moral intent to cause harm.

Boru

No, that is not evil. Volcanos are not evil in any objective sense. They are subjectively evil to the things they kill, but from a detached, objective perspective they play an important & beneficial role by creating landmasses, fertilising soil and emplacing mineral resources. In the deep sea volcanic activity even supports the only known ecosystems totally independent of the sun, that could continue to exist even if the sun disappeared tomorrow & the rest of life on earth froze to death.