Why is there evil and suffering in the world?
The problem of evil and suffering in the world comes down to a finite amount of resources. We live in an infinite universe where the distribution of resources is not homogeneous. The contrast of need and the varying degrees to which we can fulfill those needs define our worldview. People suffer because of lack of medical care, lack of education and the general lack of personal ability dictated by the laws of probability. People can to varying degrees overcome their circumstances, but even that requires hard work and a convergence of fortunate probabilities. There is also the factor of personal perception of loss and lack. The difference in suffering between the corporate executive who loses their bonus due to bad performance in the company is not equal to the factory worker who loses their job due to layoffs. Inequality is the great cause of suffering in the world, but equality is just as scary in that it would stifle personal achievement. A certain amount of inequality is built in to
The problem is in our expectation that the world should be free from evil and misery. We assume that a world with a mixture of good and evil is imperfect. This assumption arises from our tendency to strive towards joy and avoid sorrow. We have taken the aim of our life to be happiness. When this is our aim, naturally a world which has a mixture of joy and sorrow, good and evil appears imperfect to us. The aim of life is not happiness and not even virtue. Aim of life is wisdom. Misery and evil make us work towards their alleviation. This work gives us experience. We face joy and sorrow. We face success and failure. We face hopes and disappointments. This makes us think. We start seeking a general solution to this problem. Thus experience forms the foundation of our philosophical contemplation. This struggle towards understanding the Truth eventually leads to an intutive understanding. This wisdom is the aim of life. Thus, without this mixture of good and evil in the world, no one can at
