Good and Evil

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

Do you believe that there is such a thing as good and evil, and that some people are just inherently one or the other?

Discuss.

 

[Det Som Engang Var]

1 and 2 can go together.

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

I had a cheeseburger for lunch today. It was alright, but the bacon wasn't cooked nearly enough. Needed to be way crispier.

 

[Lord Foul]

If there is objective evil in this universe limp bacon is the very essence of it.

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

Amen.

 

[Shpongled]

I think it of course depends on your own definition of each word. Although, the meaning of both words in the context of this thread are pretty obvious. That said, I voted "Yes, some people are good, some people are evil" because I couldn't vote for #2. I truly believe there are people that legitimately cannot do an evil deed willingly. I'm not sure how or if that can apply to the vice-versa side of that coin. Can there really be someone that's incapable of doing anything good?

Regardless, I believe both good and evil exist in droves, and that without each other, neither would be of any significance. Without good, people might be mercilessly murdering each other barbarically 24 hours a day and only the strong would survive. Without evil, the world might be an overpopulated, bloated pus sore in the middle of the galaxy with too many people that don't have enough resources to properly survive (which in itself could perpetuate evil).

I think good and evil will always exist and learning how to deal with the evil aspect and minimize it's effect on the rest of society is an issue we'll toil with until the end of time.

 

[stefan86]

There is no such thing, everythings mostly grey

 

[Altitudes]

This all falls under the subjective/objective debate. I believe, yes, we can objectively say something is "evil" or "good" based on rational and logical conclusions. If you want to debate cultural relativism, then fuck you

Here is a video I found a while a go. Even though it doesn't address "evil" and "good" specifically, it deals with objective truths and value judgments.

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C33m6MQEg9k&feature=channel_page[/ame]

 

[dreaming neon darkspot]

i can't believe in good or evil because, to me, the ideas rely so heavily on religion and the supernatural - "evil" people are usually controlled by some other force, "good" people are doing the work of god, etc.

i believe people are influenced by their surroundings - they can make some people sociopaths and other people saints. it all just depends.

 

[Morganna]

Assuming this has nothing to do with religion, and more about right and wrong, I would say #2. Even the most twisted person will work hard to justify what they had done. Not many people are honest enough with themselves to think they are ass holes.

 

[Super Mahrio]

I believe both are subjective. It depends on the point of view.

 

[Brooks]

i can't believe in good or evil because, to me, the ideas rely so heavily on religion and the supernatural - "evil" people are usually controlled by some other force, "good" people are doing the work of god, etc.

i believe people are influenced by their surroundings - they can make some people sociopaths and other people saints. it all just depends.

I'm not sure I could have said it better myself.

But a small step beyond this, I do believe in a natural order; a living Earth that leads itself toward a homeostasis through a variety of organic methods.

For some reason, we, so-called 'intelligent' sentient beings, demand too much too often, and have been using our so-called 'intellect' and products thereof to act against natures will, and have been for far too long.

I suppose one could call any act that goes against the natural order 'evil,' which would be my simplified definition of the word. The problem being that we are far too removed from our original evolutionary 'purpose' to know what our role in the nature order is.

What is that role, you ask?

Well, the sacred fungus revealed that to me last summer; I'll leave it to do the same to you.

Good luck!

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

Meh, our natural origins are overrated. We can create our own role in nature. Thats the defining characteristic of our sentience.

 

[Brooks]

Well of course.

That's why everything is so fucked, Jack.

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

I'm not saying that we've been doing all the right things. I'm just saying that going backwards isn't the answer.

 

[Brooks]

Going backwards, right. Can't do that. But we should drive forwards while looking backwards. Always a good idea (especially if you're speeding).

 

[WhiteBeastofWotan]

awesome post

In all seriousness, I just feel like having reverence for the natural way of living that we lived many many many many many many many many years ago is irrational. I'm not saying we have to destroy everything in our path to greatness, but nature is overrated.

 

[Battle.Angel]

i believe people are influenced by their surroundings - they can make some people sociopaths and other people saints. it all just depends.

Yes, on one hand we are influenced by our envirnoment but on the other hand also by our genetics, I believe.
Saying the first one, I totally believe anybody is capable of good and evil actions, depending on the given circumstances. (Definitely including myself.. haha) I think anybody considering himself as a "good" person could kill a man, if all the right factors come togther. Same with the other way around. If you were born in the wrong place in the wrong time and happen to become a "bad" person, it is partly your genetics, partly because you've never seen love and goodness by the people you live with. I think love and goodness is something you're not born with the knowledge of what it is. You have to experience other people being good to you before you can be good to other people.

 

[dreaming neon darkspot]

^^
that.

 

[Craysh3]

Altitudes and Kevin have it pretty much down. Just to reiterate the argument though, good and evil are subjective and only existent because of human rationale (along with everything else that was ever thunk up). Logic, reason, and just about any other platonic mindset can't really be the be all and end all of categorizing moral conflict and judgment. Even if all 6.5 billion people in the world would agree on a certain act as being 'good' or 'evil', under the context of its extremely vague and subjective definition, it does not make that act either one due to the flaw of our cognitive boundaries. We are not omniscient nor omnipotent and therefore cannot do such things as stare into the future to see the outcome of that action past our own lifetime(s) among many other things that are beyond our capabilities at the moment. What I do know, is that the worst thing to do is to consult a book such as the bible on moral code and values. By the way, I was trying to read Aristotle's Nicomachean Ethics, and after 8 pages, I disagreed with so many things that man had to say, I just put the book down and went back to Anne Rice's vampire chronicles. I hate vampires, but holy shit, can that crazy woman write...