Good and Evil... how do you define them?

How do you define good and evil?

  • Vox populi, vox dei.

    Votes: 16 61.5%
  • In the Beginning was the Word.

    Votes: 3 11.5%
  • I am the Ubermensch!

    Votes: 1 3.8%
  • Good for who, and for what purpose?

    Votes: 2 7.7%
  • Zieg Heil!

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Upon this Rock I shall build my Church.

    Votes: 1 3.8%
  • Evil shmeevil.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • People bad, nature good.

    Votes: 2 7.7%
  • That's not all, you git!

    Votes: 1 3.8%

  • Total voters
    26

Nixy

Elimi-nistrator
Staff member
Good is someone or something that does things that are helpful or beneficial to themselves and others

Evil is someone or something that does things that hinder or hurt themselves and others
 

Scanty

New Member
Yes, I suppose you are right.
But then, there is the idea that everything still comes down to human peception. Even when we can use instruments to measure things, we are still controlling the instruments.
But then that's going off the point a little... a whole different argument.

So yeah, good point. :)

What I said is definitely one explanation for abstract concepts, though.
 

Ardsgaine

New Member
Nixy said:
Good is someone or something that does things that are helpful or beneficial to themselves and others

Evil is someone or something that does things that hinder or hurt themselves and others

Hypothetical situation: A person can choose to go off to college and pursue his dream career, or he can stay home and go into the family business to help out his parents. His parents really want him to stay home and help them, he really wants to go pursue his dream. Which action would be the right thing to do?
 

PT

Off 'Motherfuckin' Topic Elite
Let the boy go to college, even if it hurts the parents in the short term, it is for the good, as it will help the boy in the long term.
 

Shadowfax

<b>mod cow</b>
Going off to College. As parent you must put your child's hapiness and dreams in front of your own. At least in situations like these
 

Ardsgaine

New Member
Ards doesn't really believe this, but...

For 18 years the parents have sweated and slaved to raise the child and now when he's in a position to help them, he's going to run off to college? What ever happened to "honor thy father and they mother?" They need him at home now. He can always pursue his dreams later after they're dead. He's just being selfish anyway. He's going after money instead of helping others.
 

Luis G

<i><b>Problemator</b></i>
Staff member
i knew you were going to give the opposite answer. (no matter which it was).

both answers have a good point and a bad point. if we choose one, you will say the bad point of it, and the good things about the other.....
 

Ardsgaine

New Member
Luis G said:
i knew you were going to give the opposite answer. (no matter which it was).

both answers have a good point and a bad point. if we choose one, you will say the bad point of it, and the good things about the other.....

I was just trying to make the point that if good is doing for others and ourselves, then there are going to be times when those two conflict. Which one should win?
 

outside looking in

<b>Registered Member</b>
I was just trying to make the point that if good is doing for others and ourselves, then there are going to be times when those two conflict. Which one should win?

Good and Evil might could be ultimately represented by an algorithm, but there's no justification for supposing that it is a simple one.
 

fury

Administrator
Staff member
Don't we all...

I define good as what someone is when they are willing to do something that would benefit others, and I define evil as what someone is when they take pleasure in causing or observing the despair, pain, misery, or misfortune of others. That's about the only way I can define it without going into automatic-paragraph-generator mode
 

Scanty

New Member
Well...I used to think that it probably didn't exist because I couldn't for the life of me come up with something that someone could do, that didn't have any benefit for themselves.

But then the other day I was thinking about the things I might put in a will (morbid, I know). And I was thinking...why do I care that these certain possesions go to this person? Or why do I really want to make sure that no one feels left out, and everyone is given something of mine if I die.
Because when you're dead, you're dead and you're not around to care who gets what. (Supposedly).
So that must mean that I'm worrying about who to give what and sharing things out between people, because I don't want them to get hurt. There's no benefit to me that I can think of. So that would seem totally altruistic.
Unless you count the good feeling it gives me now. But then, I'm not letting that affect me, I hope.
 

Nixy

Elimi-nistrator
Staff member
someone who is complete altruistic? It might exist but it would be as unhealthy as being complete egocentric. People need a balance of both i believe.
 
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