An analysis of the problem of evil in the light of Stump’s Wandering in Darkness

Abstract

The main focus of this dissertation will revolve around the compossibility of God's existence and the presence of that which the human person would characterise as an evil or harmful experience. In addition to the discussion on the connection between God's existence and the human person's suffering, this dissertation will mostly circle around a particular argument which is proposed in Eleonore Stump's famous work, Wandering in Darkness. Such an argument will be taking into account Stump's perspective which proposes that one's heart's desires pose an important factor within the compossibility of suffering and God's existence. As has been proposed by Stump, the human person's desires to fulfil his or her heart's satisfactions are amongst the main sources behind suffering. This dissertation will take into account that one's heart's desires are a necessity for one's flourishing, while also analysing how the very same heart's desire could also be the main cause of one's heartache. Throughout this dissertation, the argument of how each human person's aim in life leads towards being in union with God is hinted and also discussed how such aim is fulfilled with one being in complete union with God.