This is due on Monday 20th June – you have plenty of time so no excuses!
Suggested structure:
- What is the statement arguing? That evil does not exist in itself, but instead it is merely the absence of good. Just as darkness is the absence of light and cold is the absence of heat, evil is the absence of good! Suggest what your conclusion is going to be – will you agree or not?
- Explain why people might agree with this statement. You could look at this and there are some interesting ideas here too. You should also analyse at this point. What might be the good things about explaining evil in this way? Why might it also cause problems?
- Why might others disagree that there is no such thing as evil? You could refer to the Devil, the “damaged mind” or original sin as other ways of explaining evil. What are the relative strengths and weaknesses of the different ways to explain the existence of evil?
- Conclusion: Do you agree with this statement? Which side of the argument is stronger and why?
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