Augustine and Leibniz on Evil

Paper Summary:

In this essay on theological philosophy, two of the fine philosophers of old are invoked in order to ponder and define just what evil is. The early Christian thinker, Saint Augustine, is used via his masterpiece "City of God". The seventeenth century philosopher, Gottfried Wilhelm Leibniz, is also used, by way of his "Discourse on Metaphysics". Their ideas of evil (and good) are compared and contrasted.

From the Paper:

"The battle of good and evil: this is a question for the ages. Throughout the annals of philosophy and theology, from Christian-based works and in works from centuries before Christ's followers entered the philosophical and theological fray, the argument of just what such metaphysical, hard-to-grasp ideas such as good and evil are has been at these studies' forefront. What exactly defines true goodness? And thus, what exactly demonstrates or causes pure evil, good's supposed opposite? This quest to define and pinpoint precisely what evil is and why it occurs is the focus of much of the writings of two noted philosophers of the past millennium."

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