The Ability To Have Free Choice

This week has been a blast. I learned a lot and am now going to spend Shabbat with some friends in Har Nof. The Yeshiva sets students up with different families to eat Shabbat meals and I was set up with two families in Har Nof. It is only a 30 minute walk from where I live but it is supposed to rain here this Shabbat. Since I do not feel like walking in the rain I asked a friend if he could find me a place to sleep. I will be staying at the Machon Yaakov Yeshiva and seeing two friends from Ann Arbor who are currently learning in Har Nof.
Something interesting I learned this week has to do with the apparent defects in nature, especially to the evils found in nature, which are not in accordance to HaShem's perfection. The RAMCHAL writes in "The Knowing Heart" that HaShem wanted to show humankind His oneness. He makes the argument that if HaShem made the world perfectly then man would have nothing to do. He would have nothing to improve in the world. By "pulling back" so-to-speak, HaShem allowed apparent "lack" into the world so humankind could become partners in creation with Him.
The reason HaShem wanted to show humankind His oneness is because it is the only attribute that is seen through its opposite. If HaShem wanted to show us His kindness we would not need to understand what evil was. If everything was given to us in this world and we would not need to work for anything, we would understand HaShem's kindness. If HaShem wanted to show us His wisdom He would not have needed to show us what foolishness is. If I came to you and showed you a fool or an evil person, you would in no way be able to understand what "intelligence" or "righteousness" is. However, the only way to understand oneness is through it's opposite, plurality. If I put five marbles on a table you would be able to understand what one marble would look like. And it is impossible to understand one if there is only one. If you were the only thing existing you would not be able to comprehend more than you, and therefore you would not be able to comprehend "only." However, if there is more than you, you are able to understand what it would be like if you and only you existed. By creating the world as a place that seemingly has many forces that are in opposition to one another (fire and water, good and evil, etc.), each person has the ability to come to their own conclusion that even though the world looks plural, it is all one. The more plural the world is the more amazing it is when one comprehends that everything is all one.
The RAMCHAL then goes on to say that although HaShem could obviously have created the world in a way that humankind could understand His oneness without living through the plurality (negative), if He did so we would not have free will. It would be so obvious that HaShem is God that we would not be able to do an act against His will. By creating the world with negative qualities we have the ability to choose for ourselves whether we will be good or bad.