Privation and state of nullity: meanings of the ontology of the evil in Augustine of Hippo’s thought

Abstract

This work pretends to analyze the aspects referring to the problem of the “evil” and, therefore, the elements of its ontological nullity in the thought of Augustine of Hippo. For this, we take as reference especially some points of the reflection of the Bishop of Hippo in his classical work about the topic, namely, the dialog De Libero Arbitrio. Initially, we try to demonstrate the similarity between the understanding by Augustine and the understanding previously presented by the Greek thought, especially of platonic bias, in the around of the question of the evil. As Plato, Augustine affirms the notion of evil from a negative point of view, that is, the evil that just acquire ontological status according as it constitutes itself as contradiction, lack and deviation of the Good, that is, of the fullness of the Being in the metaphysical sense. Therefore, the reflection aims to demonstrate how in the Augustine’s perspective this Being in state of fullness and ontological perfection is thought and defined as God. Being God the creator of all existing things, couldn’t be He the entity evil’s generator. Therefore, the evil takes on character and negative sense from the point of view of the ontology, being explained as consequence of the human moral acts undertaken by the free will.