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The quote you're referring to is from Maimonides’ The Guide for the Perplexed, Part III, Chapter 12. Here's the full quote:
“Men frequently think that the evils of the world are more numerous than the good things… I have considered this subject, and I have seen that the matter is not as they think.”
— Maimonides, The Guide for the Perplexed, Part III, Ch. 12
In this passage, Maimonides argues that most of what people perceive as "evils" are either due to:
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Natural causes (which are rare),
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Human injustice (which can be prevented), or
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Self-inflicted suffering EVIL due to ignorance, desire, or bad choices (the most common).
He insists that evil is not inherent in creation—rather, it's a result of human misunderstanding or misuse of free will.
Would you like a breakdown of his three types of evil, or more quotes about optimism vs. pessimism in Maimonides?
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Absolutely — here's a clear breakdown of Maimonides’ three types of evil from The Guide for the Perplexed, Part III, Chapter 12:
🔥 1. Evils Due to Nature or Physical Existence
Description: These are natural events like earthquakes, storms, aging, disease, or death — things built into the structure of the physical world.
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Maimonides’ view: These are rare and not personal punishments. They're simply the cost of being part of a material world.
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Example: A person struck by lightning or afflicted by illness.
“Such misfortunes are rare… and only affect some individuals.”
⚔️ 2. Evils Inflicted by Humans on Each Other
Description: These include war, oppression, theft, murder, and injustice — evils caused by human action toward others.
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Maimonides’ view: These are more common than natural evils, but still preventable through proper moral and social conduct.
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Example: A tyrant oppresses his people, or someone cheats another in business.
“These are more frequent than the first kind but depend entirely on human conduct.”
💭 3. Evils People Inflict on Themselves
Description: These are the most common and include suffering caused by ignorance, excessive desires, greed, anxiety, or bad decisions.
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Maimonides’ view: Most of human suffering falls in this category — and it's avoidable through wisdom and discipline.
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Example: Someone becomes ill from overeating, or lives in constant anxiety trying to gain more wealth.
“Most of the evils that befall man originate in his own faults.”
🧠 Summary Insight
Maimonides' core message here is:
The world is not inherently full of evil — most suffering is due to human misunderstanding, moral failure, or lack of wisdom.
He calls on people to improve themselves through reason, ethics, and knowledge of God, which is central to his broader philosophy.
Want to dive deeper into his view of free will and personal responsibility, or see how this connects to his ideas about divine justice and providence?
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