We have always known the answer to this question. All of nature and all it is made of know it. It is not even necessary to know it, for it is something that has always been in us, by itself, as a part of ourselves, even when we do not know nor think about it. That something is one of the aforementioned psychological abilities necessary for the existence of consciousness. It is the ability of consciousness to feel its existence as evil (dissatisfaction) or good (satisfaction). The feeling of evil always plays the role of cause and the feeling of good the role of purpose i.e. the aim and meaning of the existence of consciousness. The feeling of evil always has the meaning “no” and the feeling of good always has the meaning “yes”. The feeling of evil always has the meaning of non-existence of consciousness, i.e. the meaning that the existence of consciousness is endangered or its sense is diminished by some of its negative, wrongful movements and actions. On the other hand, the feeling of good has the meaning of the existence of consciousness, the meaning that movements and actions of consciousness are positive, i.e. they are consistent with the aim and purpose of its existence i.e. self-preservation.
So, then, whenever consciousness during its movements and actions feels evil and by that also feels its existence endangered or its sense diminished – having in mind that the feeling of evil is a negative state of consciousness which it cannot bear – the consciousness then wants to get free of it at any cost. From this state of feeling evil it strives to pass into the state of feeling good. The only way to do that is to pass from this state of its negative movements and actions that endanger its existence, to the state of the positive movements and actions which enable its existence – and it always does this in the end. It is also the way in which consciousness, by eternally running away from evil to good, runs away, also, from its non-existence to its existence and thus causes itself.