A New Presentation of the Problem of Evil on the Basis of Conventional Perceptions as Understood by ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabāʾī

The problem of evil, along with its three subdivisions (ethical, physical and metaphysical) is among the most challenging philosophical and theological problems. One of the most important answers which have been given to this problem from various philosophical and theological traditions from ancient times until today is to judge that evil is related to non-existence. It seems that on the basis of ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabā’ī’s innovative theory regarding conventional perceptions (idrākāt-i i’tibāri) one can derive a new formulation of the classic theories, which is in significant ways different from them, on the basis that evil is to be considered ‘conventional’ as the term is understood by ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabā’ī. As ʿAllāmah Ṭabāṭabā’ī understands it, all practical propositions relating to report-based or real perceptions involve the creation of human conventions for the sake of satisfying certain practical and existential needs and the inclinations arising from these. These conventions include ‘good’ and ‘bad’, and likewise, ‘good’ and ‘evil’. The crucial aspect of these conventions is that we name our concepts ‘good’ or ‘evil’ on the basis of our goals, as opposed to them having such qualities in themselves. Of course, conventional perceptions, in so far as their effects, functions, purposes, and individual or social sources are concerned are related to and based on reality. As such they are both capable of proving knowledge and are intelligible, even though they are not susceptible to demonstration and their intelligibility is of the practical variety. On the basis of the consideration of evil as conventional, it seems that this problem can find a satisfactory solution and it can be shown that the existence of evil does not contradict the existence of a universe based on a wise divine plan. Furthermore the experience of evil is also recognized in this theory as a human fact and is not completely denied as is the case with similar theories.