It is important to make a distinction between evil and tragedy. An evil act is a human act, aimed at harm for harm's sake. The capacity to act in an evil manner depends on self-consciousness: if I know how I can be hurt, I know how to hurt others. Evil destroys the individual's faith in human nature. Tragedy, by contrast, is an inevitable consequence of human vulnerability. Tragic circumstances are destructive, but not motivated. Human beings can withstand tragedy, but can be undermined by evil. Less