Gnosticism and Finitude. The Ontology of Evil Between "Absence" and "Privation"

This article aims to illustrate the metaethical essence of gnosticism. In particular, the key trait of gnosticism is identified with the belief in the equation of finitude and evil, i.e. with the definition of evil as "absence of good" (rather than "privation of good"). The essay also intends to show how this conception of evil underlies a number of contemporary philosophical and political stances, focusing in particular on the gnostic essence of transhumanism. In conclusion, an attempt is made to expose the contradictory nature of this "modern" gnosticism, as opposed to the metaethical coherence of classical Christian eschatology.