Boethius, a Christian and Roman consul, wrote The Consolation of Philosophy while in prison under Emperor Theodric. In the book he tries to reconcile the gravity of his accusation and his execution with the existence of a just God. Boethius' approach to the problem of evil echoes Augustinian beliefs of the nonexistence of evil in a just world. It recognizes God's benevolence and the presence of providence and destiny as two essential factors controlling human and natural actions. Furthermore, Boethius struggles to understand the evil conduct of those in power in persecuting the innocent and virtuous. He believes that God's wisdom controls all things to achieve good, although human understanding is limited. The primary concern in Boethius' classical philosophy stems from the fact that evil people in Rome's political arena prospered while individuals like him suffered despite their righteous nature. However, because human understanding is limited, it is possible to understand this principle by analyzing the situation from God's perspective. While Boethius believes that evil does not exist in a world where God's benevolence governs, humans make choices based on free discretion granted to them. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Boethius needed to make sense of the world he existed in because wickedness seemed to thrive while debauchery received no reward. God exists in a timeless state, while humans are bound by time. Furthermore, human beings can make decisions and choices based on the situation and without God's control over them. This implies that God's eternal presence does not necessarily dictate human choices. This makes people totally responsible for their actions, regardless of the existence of an omnipotent God who controls all things. In particular, God's providence allows human beings to practice free will, which makes them responsible for the choices they make. In essence, Boethius evades the problem of evil by arguing its non-existence and the effective influence it has on people. However, the pain and suffering that characterize human nature call into question Boethius' claims. When describing the problem of evil and how it operates, he follows a narrow approach, which fails to comprehensively reconcile his arguments with the real world. First, Boethius cannot understand why a good and loving God would allow evil to run through the world. The issue raises philosophical debates, especially when humans are exposed to extreme conditions that lead to pain and suffering similar to those faced by Boethius. If so, the problem of evil shows a contrasting argument that exemplifies evil in an attempt to understand why evil people hold the power to persecute others. Boethius attempts to dispute the existence of evil by mentioning that evil is a weakness and nothing. It stands to reason that a loving and good God cannot create evil because it brings suffering to children. His claim that evil does not exist comes from the philosophical perspective that evil is not a real thing and God did not create evil. Boethius' statement on the weakness of evil reveals that vice goes against the natural way of things. This means that naturally people tend to seek happiness and good in life. Although Boethius considers evil to be nothing, it remains uncertain how this can happen, yet there are many observable acts such as rape, murder, and theft, among others. Furthermore, the extent of pain and suffering instilled by these.
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