The Fear of Evil: An Anthropological & Philosophical Companion to The Redemption Optimization (TRO)

This paper develops an anthropological and philosophical complement to The Redemption Optimization (TRO), advancing the hypothesis that humanity is undergoing a long-term convergence toward harm-aversion—an emergent, species-level “fear of evil.” Using TRO’s event-valued evaluator, it argues that structural peace increases when institutions close harm routes after a first counted event, making repetition purely costly. The paper engages anthropological critiques (relativism, cultural normalization of violence, historical regression) and shows how apparent setbacks function as “stress drills” in a broader confirmation phase. Philosophically, it reconciles evolutionary explanations with normativity, preserving free will while explaining empirical declines in interpersonal and institutional violence. Theologically, it situates moral maturation within a redemption arc oriented to confirmation rather than coercion. The companion proposes falsifiable indicators and pilot domains (justice, governance, AI safety) to test TRO’s closure doctrine in practice.