0006 Section one of Kanzelberger’s article, “Reality and the Meaning of Evil“, opens with a conversation between a party animal and a graduate student.

The exchange begins with the idea that evil is privation.  As such, evil does not make sense.

The discourse ends with the idea that evil is real and, as such, evil makes sense.

Clearly, the conversation starts on one level and ends on another.  Plus, the conversation wrestles with a very important caveat.

If evil is a positive entity, then it must have been created by God.  But if God is good, and His creation is called “good” in Genesis, then evil must be privation, a lack of good.  God does not create evil.  We do.

0007 Does this fit into a category-based nested form?

Yes, it fits two of them.

On a content level_a, the level below morality, evil is privation and does not make sense.

On a situation level_b, the moral level, evil is real and makes sense.

0008 On the content level_a, we ask, “What is happening?_3a”  This is the platform for things and events_2a, situating the potential of ‘something’ subjective_1a.  Here, evil is privation and does not make sense because it is subjective.

On the situation level_b, we think, “What does it mean to me?_3b”  This is where phantasms_2b emerge from the potential of constructing objects, mind-dependent beings_1b.  Here is where evil is real and sensible, because it is objective.

0009 Objective?

‘Something’ objective can also be shared.  It can be intersubjective. In order to become intersubjective, the phantasm_2bmust be actualized.  Intersubjective beings are objective and subject to rational judgment by oneself and others.