Necessary Evils?

Question

Do you think that there is really something as a necessary evil. If you know any or can think of some then what are they?

Answer 1

This is an extremely interesting question, and an issue that is still much debated. I don't claim to present you with a perfect answer, but I will try to show you a broad scope to look at this issue.

From a scientific naturalistic point of view, I strictly don't believe that there is good nor evil, but for the sake of discussion, let's say that they do exist.

For a very long time, theologians and theistic philosophers have been denying the very existence of evil because it paints an absurd picture of omnipotent omniscient omnibenevolent deity who acceptingly let evil exist in the world.
This notion was championed in last century by CS Lewis and this view is still maintained by some theologians.

There are many forms of logical argument from evil quite widely available in many places. The argumentation is quite long so I can't do that here.
Instead, I will make an evidential argument from evil.

Tsunami that happened in South Asia took away almost two hundred thousand lives. It took away lives of infants and children who had done no harms to others. But tsuanami didn't care.

How is this not a necessary evil? If this is not evil what else is?
Theists would claim that God has a plan that is inscrutable to us, and trump that same old Lewis-esque analogy like "A child who gets a flu shot may think that the needle that hurts the child is evil, but the parent knows that it is for his or her own good."

In response to this, I would ask "what kind of claim cannot be justified this way?"
Andrea Weisberger writes in "The Argument from Evil",
"In response, the nontheist might point out that this line of reasoning leads to skepticism about any epistemic claim regarding the natural world. It might be, for example, that God gave us evidence of dinosaurs to make the world appear eons old, yet the world is only as old as biblical dating allows, namely, thousands of years."

Evil does exist.

Answer 2

Easy... My son was in the hospital for 20 days due to RSV infection with pneumonia. He was 2 months old at the time. His insurance denied him for an immunization which would reduce the risks of him getting the RSV. This cold season, his insurance decided they would approve it. I do NOT like taking my baby for a shot every month from October to April, but I would rather do that than have him on the brink of death again. Necessary evil.

Answer 3

Here's an example...a life and death situation...
For instance...pulling the plug on someone..that is a necessary evil...if you pull the plug, you end their life..maybe...
If you leave them on the machine, that person suffers, you suffer mentally...and their is a chance the person will live or die...
Here's another example...
Lying to a friend in order to prevent hurting their feelings...
If you lie to your friend..you run the risk of them finding you out...
If you don't lie and you are honest...the answer may not be what they wanna hear and you may lose the friendship anyway...

Answer 4

An evil man does not think of him self as evil, so to remorse upon an evil act does not make one evil. Only through dist ruction of an older object can there be made a new one.

Answer 5

Governments. Virtually every one is at best a fiscal parasite (at worst an engine of destruction and death), and has caused more harm, suffering and strife in the world than the good they've done. And yet, people just can't imagine living without them. I think as a species, humanity is not yet mature enough to get by peacefully without them.

Answer 6

Diet
Excersice
Work
Women
Lawyers
Religion
Races
Social Classes
Borders (not the store)
Money


there are too many! Everything is evil to me!