Dualism in cosmology

The yin and yang symbolizes dualism in Taoism

Dualism in cosmology refers to the idea that the universe is governed by two opposing, yet complementary, forces or principles. These forces are often seen as representing good and evil, light and darkness, spiritual and material, or order and chaos. Dualism posits that these two forces are in constant conflict or balance, and this struggle shapes the nature of existence and the universe as a whole.

It is a central feature in Zoroastrianism, Manicheaism, Gnosticism and Buddhism. Each of these traditions interprets the cosmic conflict in unique ways, but they all share the understanding that the universe is influenced by the interplay between opposing forces.

Augustine of Hippo, a Christian convert from Manichaeism, wrestled deeply with the implications of dualism, particularly its influence on his early theological views. In his youth, Augustine was heavily influenced by Manicheaism's dualistic cosmology, which portrayed the universe as a battleground between the forces of light and darkness. In Manichaean thought, the material world was often seen as the domain of darkness and evil, while the spiritual realm represented the good and the divine.

However, upon his conversion to Christianity, Augustine rejected the dualistic framework that had shaped much of his early beliefs. Instead, Christianity teaches that God is all-powerful, and that evil is a corruption or absence of good, rather than a force in itself. This understanding led Augustine to formulate an optimistic view of the universe, where God was the ultimate source of all that is good, and evil was understood as the result of free will, human disobedience, and the abuse of created good.