Are humans inherently good or inherently evil?

[similar.squirrel]

This thread socks.

You said it.

I think OP should think before s/he posts.

Well, thanks for the constructive critiscm then. You really explained a lot.

SA-LASH A-SARCASM

Good and evil are human concepts, and relative ones at that. Birth is a biological process. Can't reconcile the two.

 

[KarmaTheAlligator]

Neither, that's the whole idea behind free will. But then again it depends on people's definition of good and evil.

 

[retyopy]

Good and Evil are a human construct. So neither?

Oh, don't give me that. That's crap. I want that philisophy, not this philisophy! THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

 

[Merkavar]

good and evil is subjective subjective to the individual or society so i guess humans are born good or evil depending on what is defined as good and evil.

i would say that they are born good cause what can a baby or young kid do that would be evil?

 

[Aprilgold]

I for one fight it.

Very few people wouldn't say that about themselves, though.

The point is I'm trying not to be a dick, thats the good thing.

 

[Signa]

Good and Evil are a human construct. So neither?

Oh, don't give me that. That's crap. I want that philisophy, not this philisophy! THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

Read my edit? I know a thread like this is going to explode, so I dropped a short answer and edited in a longer one.

 

[Thaluikhain]

I for one fight it.

Very few people wouldn't say that about themselves, though.

The point is I'm trying not to be a dick, thats the good thing.

Again, most people would believe that about themselves. Not that I'm not saying you're not, though.

 

[retyopy]

This thread socks.

You said it.

I think OP should think before s/he posts.

Well, thanks for the constructive critiscm then. You really explained a lot.

SA-LASH A-SARCASM

Good and evil are human concepts, and relative ones at that. Birth is a biological process. Can't reconcile the two.

Hmm... Several people have made this point, and I'm willing to discuss this intelligently. I do agree that people are neither, but I disagree with your statement that "good" and "evil" are nought but human concepts. For they are indeed human concepts, but think about this: We are human. Human concepts make up our lives. Take money. We revolve around it, but what is it but bits of metal and scraps of paper? Absolutely nothing. And the idea of Good and Evil needs to exist, or else we would have no morality. And chaos would ensue. WHAT WOULD HAPPEN TO OUR SOCKS?

 

[retyopy]

Good and Evil are a human construct. So neither?

Oh, don't give me that. That's crap. I want that philisophy, not this philisophy! THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

Read my edit? I know a thread like this is going to explode, so I dropped a short answer and edited in a longer one.

Did you read my edit? Not evil evil, more dick evil. And I didn't see your edit. Sorry.

 

[Signa]

Good and Evil are a human construct. So neither?

Oh, don't give me that. That's crap. I want that philisophy, not this philisophy! THERE IS A DIFFERENCE.

Read my edit? I know a thread like this is going to explode, so I dropped a short answer and edited in a longer one.

Did you read my edit? Not evil evil, more dick evil. And I didn't see your edit. Sorry.

Apology accepted. Though you are starting to sound like you are on drugs. Don't kill this man!

 

[Crazy Zaul]

People aren't inherently good or evil, they're inherently selfish and may do evil things to that end.

 

[Alphakirby]

I would have to say a blank slate,but those around them influence how they become.
If you're living around assholes while growing up,you'll probably be an asshole too.
It's how people learn life lessons as they grow,they learn from others.

 

[cl20]

good and evil are both concepts created by humans, we are whatever the general public believes us to be.

 

[OriginalLadders]

I think people are inherently "good"; we evolved as a social animal, banding together to help one another, safety in numbers and all that. If we were born "evil" then I doubt that would ever have happened. There have even been studies done with showing that babies understand altruism [http://psychcentral.com/news/2011/10/11/young-brain-has-altruistic-characteristics/30233.html]. I think "evil" stems mostly from how a person is raised and exacerbated by certain genetic defects and as such people are, on the whole, good.

It's easier than you'd think to hold that view and still be misanthropic.

 

[Togs]

"Nothing is good or evil, its merely thinking that makes it so"

Or we're inherently neither, we have instincts that can be make us lean in either direction dependant on the situation, our upbringing and hundreds of other factors.

 

[Gluzzbung]

Evil is in the eye of the beholder. No one would be born evil but different people may see them as evil.

 

[similar.squirrel]

This thread socks.

You said it.

I think OP should think before s/he posts.

Well, thanks for the constructive critiscm then. You really explained a lot.

SA-LASH A-SARCASM

Good and evil are human concepts, and relative ones at that. Birth is a biological process. Can't reconcile the two.

And the idea of Good and Evil needs to exist, or else we would have no morality. And chaos would ensue.

That still doesn't mean they exist as objective phenomena. Nor should they be considered to exist.

And chaos generally ensues in the absence of moral relativism.

 

[Jamster003]

Good and evil were made by humans so we're naturally neutral.

 

[retyopy]

This thread socks.

You said it.

I think OP should think before s/he posts.

Well, thanks for the constructive critiscm then. You really explained a lot.

SA-LASH A-SARCASM

Good and evil are human concepts, and relative ones at that. Birth is a biological process. Can't reconcile the two.

And the idea of Good and Evil needs to exist, or else we would have no morality. And chaos would ensue.

That still doesn't mean they exist as objective phenomena. Nor should they be considered to exist.

And chaos generally ensues in the absence of moral relativism.

Well, that's my point, isn't it? They may not exist, but the concept holds our society together.

 

[similar.squirrel]

This thread socks.

You said it.

I think OP should think before s/he posts.

Well, thanks for the constructive critiscm then. You really explained a lot.

SA-LASH A-SARCASM

Good and evil are human concepts, and relative ones at that. Birth is a biological process. Can't reconcile the two.

And the idea of Good and Evil needs to exist, or else we would have no morality. And chaos would ensue.

That still doesn't mean they exist as objective phenomena. Nor should they be considered to exist.

And chaos generally ensues in the absence of moral relativism.

Well, that's my point, isn't it? They may not exist, but the concept holds our society together.

Calling a newborn inherently good or evil holds our society together? I thought condemning the actions of those who perpetrate harmful acts as evil did that.

It's a real puzzler.