What is good and what is evil?

[Crimson Dynamo]

Is there a consensus?

[Beastie]

good is heaven
evil is hell

[Ninastar]

Ughh this reminds me of this poem we just did in english. Its basically saying is there any good in evil or is there any evil in good.
Blehh

[Crimson Dynamo]

Ughh this reminds me of this poem we just did in english. Its basically saying is there any good in evil or is there any evil in good.
Blehh

DETENTION:nono:

[Niamh.]

Batman is good
The Joker is evil????

[Lauren]

It's all socially constructed, but there's generally a universal understanding about what constitutes 'good' and 'bad'. However, as with everything, it's all labelled semantics.

[Crimson Dynamo]

It's all socially constructed, but there's generally a universal understanding about what constitutes 'good' and 'bad'. However, as with everything, it's all labelled semantics.

Is it not based on evolutional survival?

We see good as anything that contributes to survival of the process of evolution, and evil with anything that destroys the furtherment of the fittest.

[Lauren]

Is it not based on evolutional survival?

We see good as anything that contributes to survival of the process of evolution, and evil with anything that destroys the furtherment of the fittest.

At it's basic level, yes - good point. But then some 'bad' things would be considered helpful to survival for the individual (stealing food when starving). It's all very subjective.

[Ninastar]

DETENTION:nono:

:bawling:

[Crimson Dynamo]

At it's basic level, yes - good point. But then some 'bad' things would be considered helpful to survival for the individual (stealing food when starving). It's all very subjective.

I think a lot of evil comes from our basic need to be valued

[Captain.Remy]

The notion of good and evil depends on the culture. What is considered good in one society, is bad in another and vice versa. However, we all share some values (killing human is evil, helping people is good) yet we still can have differences (in some societies, killing a woman in public for daring to look at a man is good therefore normal etc...) so it's all subjective.

To stereotype a bit, what's good is defined as what can you do to make people happy, not to offend anyone, be honest and live a simple life.
What is bad is what does harm people, cheating, lying, being mean etc...

But then I think we shouldn't fall into what we call a division of the 2. Things aren't all white and black, they are grey.

[arista]

We all have Evil to give out
Even Lauren - at some point in her life will become Evil for a moment.

[Niamh.]

If you treat people the way you would like to be treated yourself than I think that's good

[setanta]

If you treat people the way you would like to be treated yourself than I think that's good

Exactly. Basically I'm good and Niamhs evil. :hugesmile:

[Crimson Dynamo]

If you treat people the way you would like to be treated yourself than I think that's good

Are you getting all Jesus on us?

[Niamh.]

Are you getting all Jesus on us?

Nope, that's what I think

[Niamh.]

Exactly. Basically I'm good and Niamhs evil. :hugesmile:

haha, the other way round I'd say!!

[arista]

The notion of good and evil depends on the culture. What is considered good in one society, is bad in another and vice versa. However, we all share some values (killing human is evil, helping people is good) yet we still can have differences (in some societies, killing a woman in public for daring to look at a man is good therefore normal etc...) so it's all subjective.

To stereotype a bit, what's good is defined as what can you do to make people happy, not to offend anyone, be honest and live a simple life.
What is bad is what does harm people, cheating, lying, being mean etc...

But then I think we shouldn't fall into what we call a division of the 2. Things aren't all white and black, they are grey.


GW.Bush/Blair/ UnElected Brown
are all Evil
for not stopping Evil Yank Carpet Bombing of the General Public in Iraq.
Fact.

[setanta]

haha, the other way round I'd say!!

Ohh, cheeky. I'm actually nice, even if I'm argumentative on occassion. No no, opinionated is the word but sure so are you with me sometimes.

[Niamh.]

Ohh, cheeky. I'm actually nice, even if I'm argumentative on occassion. No no, opinionated is the word but sure so are you with me sometimes.

Wouldn't it be boring otherwise??!!!

[setanta]

Wouldn't it be boring otherwise??!!!

Exactly, and sure we like it hot and spicy with our drinks and conversations!

[Niamh.]

Exactly, and sure we like it hot and spicy with our drinks and conversations!

:wink:

[BB_Eye]

It's all relative. We are beyond the point now where we can give any definitive account of what good or evil is. When you think about it, we are all monsters in some way or another, we are guided irrationally by our survival and procreative instincts. This is the only constant. Ethical guidelines come and go.

[Crimson Dynamo]

It's all relative. We are beyond the point now where we can give any definitive account of what good or evil is. When you think about it, we are all monsters in some way or another, we are guided irrationally by our survival and procreative instincts. This is the only constant. Ethical guidelines come and go.

does that mean that we then cannot trust science?

[setanta]

does that mean that we then cannot trust science?

You never fail to baffle me with your questions, I have to hand that to you. Science can be trusted because it allows us to communicate right now but I'm not quite sure that you can relate to the conflict that humanity faces between what's morally or ethically right. Science can be a tool for evil or good, but it's not good or evil itself. There's no morality involved with science, only in how we chose to harness it.

[BB_Eye]

does that mean that we then cannot trust science?

I'm not sure I would regard morality as science or vice versa. Some people, such as the inventor of the atomic bomb might defend their horrific invention morally, but I think most people will agree it's more open-ended than that. To say nothing of the environmental damage that our society's industrial 'progress' has caused. Science is a positive, not normative discipline, so by definition is morally neutral.

[eye sea]

Good is when someone wins the Lottery, they give me half their winnings.

Bad is someone like Jacqui Smith MP, who stole thousands and thousands of pounds off the tax payer for homes, TVs, porn DVDs, kitchens, etc , and never paid any of it back.

And to add insult to injury, she is going into the House of Lords when she loses her seat next year - with an even bigger 'salary'.

[Mrluvaluva]

I think most normal individuals can mainly work out the difference between good and bad with a half decent upbringing. Your feelings and conscience tell you this.

[WOMBAI]

The notion of good and evil depends on the culture. What is considered good in one society, is bad in another and vice versa. However, we all share some values (killing human is evil, helping people is good) yet we still can have differences (in some societies, killing a woman in public for daring to look at a man is good therefore normal etc...) so it's all subjective.

To stereotype a bit, what's good is defined as what can you do to make people happy, not to offend anyone, be honest and live a simple life.
What is bad is what does harm people, cheating, lying, being mean etc...

But then I think we shouldn't fall into what we call a division of the 2. Things aren't all white and black, they are grey.

Killing a woman in public for looking at a man - is/would be wrong in any society - whatever religion tries to justify it! Just requires commonsense and humanity to know that!

[Lauren]

Killing a woman in public for looking at a man - is/would be wrong in any society - whatever religion tries to justify it! Just requires commonsense and humanity to know that!

But is it really bad? I mean, I look at that situation and go "it's bad" - but why does the fact it's a universal understanding mean it's actually bad?

Plus the good/bad thing is constantly shifting. Years ago if you'd said that a man married his black wife - people would say that's bad, or if someone was gay, that was also bad.

(I am not saying murder is right, but who are we to say it's bad? Yes, it fits into the universal meaning of bad, but is it actually evil?).

[Crimson Dynamo]

Michael Jackson certainly clouded the issue with his Album Bad, because it was quite good.

[andyman]

Good topic.

The whole what is good and what is bad debate is what makes us human, our reality is what we make it within the chaos.
It's bit like history, what was writen was by the victor, maybe what is "good" is passed down has gone down the same way, but that is more on the political side of human nature..

There is also human feelings like empathy which could play a part.

[Lauren]

Is empathy completely instinctual though? Or is it shaped by society to a degree?

[andyman]

Don't know, well the animal world learn from their pack you could say, same maybe for humans.

If a baby human grows up with wolves, he or she will pick up their ways, and it happend to a girl with dogs.. Strange but true.

We live in chaos, random events of chaos, what is good and bad is man made.. It falls into the same pot with law and justice.

[WOMBAI]

But is it really bad? I mean, I look at that situation and go "it's bad" - but why does the fact it's a universal understanding mean it's actually bad?

Plus the good/bad thing is constantly shifting. Years ago if you'd said that a man married his black wife - people would say that's bad, or if someone was gay, that was also bad.

(I am not saying murder is right, but who are we to say it's bad? Yes, it fits into the universal meaning of bad, but is it actually evil?).

Sorry - but that is bull. You can't compare murder to mixed marriage and being gay.

Killing a woman for the reasons mentioned above is murder - and most definitely EVIL. In my book - any religion that would justify it is EVIL. They can dress it up how they like - but murder is murder!

[Crimson Dynamo]

Sorry - but that is bull. You can't compare murder to mixed marriage and being gay.

Killing a woman for the reasons mentioned above is murder - and most definitely EVIL. In my book - any religion that would justify it is EVIL. They can dress it up how they like - but murder is murder!

correctamundo

[NettoSuperstar!]

"There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance" Socrates

"Ignorance, the root and stem of every evil" Plato

[InOne]

Psychopaths who kill are pretty evil.

[Crimson Dynamo]

"There is only one good, knowledge, and one evil, ignorance" Socrates

"Ignorance, the root and stem of every evil" Plato

"You gotta be
You gotta be bad, you gotta be bold, you gotta be wiser
You gotta be hard, you gotta be tough, you gotta be stronger
You gotta be cool, you gotta be calm, you gotta stay together
All I know, all I know, love will save the day"

Des'ree


(google is easy peasy):spin:

[NettoSuperstar!]

Thank god this country is generally well educated! You know what Im saying

[Crimson Dynamo]

Thank god this country is generally well educated! You know what Im saying

that you got aced by des'ree?

[NettoSuperstar!]

LoL

[bananarama]

Psychopaths who kill are pretty evil.


The act of killing might be evil but the psychopath is sick in the head.......Are sick people "evil" !!!!!!!!

[Crimson Dynamo]

The act of killing might be evil but the psychopath is sick in the head.......Are sick people "evil" !!!!!!!!

sick people are evil, especially the ones who tell you in great detail about their ailments..

[bananarama]

sick people are evil, especially the ones who tell you in great detail about their ailments..



:hugesmile: Oh dear. Be carfull when you get old and have lots of ailments to be oh so quiet........:nono:

[InOne]

The act of killing might be evil but the psychopath is sick in the head.......Are sick people "evil" !!!!!!!!

Psychopaths know the difference from right and wrong, so they have a choice, but they just don't care.