Does Freemasonry define what is evil?

Scottish Rite philosophy, as articulated by Albert Pike, treats evil not as an independent force outside the divine order, but as a necessary counterpart in the universal equilibrium of nature 1. Just as visible light casts a proportional shadow, and height is determined by depth, human existence requires evil and sorrow to produce harmony through the contrast of opposing forces 1.

In this philosophical framework, evil in human action arises from the exercise of free will 1. Pike reconciles human freedom with divine sovereignty by placing human liberty in balance with divine necessity 1. While God foresees the choices of free creatures and uses them to accomplish a broader cosmic purpose, God neither tempts nor constrains men to commit evil 1.

From a moral standpoint within the Scottish Rite, wrongful conduct is defined through the violation of duty, truth, and the Masonic contract 1. A Mason acts dishonestly and becomes forsworn when he fails to fulfill his obligations of brotherhood—such as wronging a brother, speaking evil of him, failing to assist him in danger, or neglecting to protect his widow and orphans 1. Morality finds its ultimate foundation in God, yet carries its own proper evidence and authority within the base of human duty and natural law 1.