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What is evil?

andyandy

anthropomorphic ape
andyandy
Joined
Apr 30, 2006
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What is evil?
I think this is a fascinating question deserving of it's own thread ( inspired from http://www.internationalskeptics.com/forums/showthread.php?t=61458&page=4)

We have considerations of what it means to describe an individual as "evil".....

Darat provides the following Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn sig......

If only it were all so simple! If only there were evil people somewhere insidiously committing evil deeds, and it were necessary only to separate them from the rest of us and destroy them. But the line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?

During the life of any heart this line keeps changing place; sometimes it is squeezed one way by exuberant evil and sometimes it shifts to allow enough space for good to flourish. One and the same human being is, at various stages, under various circumstances, a totally different human being. At times he is close to being a devil, at times to sainthood. But his name doesn’t change, and to that name we ascribe the whole lot, good and evil.
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So there are certinly questions as to whether or not "evil" is a valid term of description of an individual due to its religious, political and social baggage.....

but Marshall Rosenberg takes it one step further, and suggests that "evil" is caused by its own definition....

Psychologist and mediator claims that the root of violence is the very concept of "evil" or "badness." When we label someone as bad or evil, Rosenberg claims, it invokes the desire to punish or inflict pain. It also makes it easy for us to turn off our feelings towards the person we are harming. He cites the use of language in Nazi Germany as being a key to how the German people were able to do things to other human beings that they normally wouldn't do. He links the concept of evil to our judicial system, which seeks to create justice via punishment — "punitive justice" — punishing acts that are seen as bad or wrong. He contrasts this approach with what he found in cultures where the idea of evil was non-existent. In such cultures, when someone harms another person, they are believed to be out of harmony with themselves and their community, they are seen as sick or ill and measures are taken to restore them to a sense of harmonious relations with themselves and others, as opposed to punishing them.
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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Evil#Is_evil_a_useful_term.3F

so, what is evil? Does it exist? How should it be defined?
 
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Evil is biting into a sandwich, tasting something funny and opening the sandwich to find half a cockroach. :)

My real opinion of evil is anything manmade (religion, politics, etc.) that doesn't take into consideration the lives of innocent people and tries (usually) to gain popular support for its actions through coersion, deception or propaganda. On an individual scale it's basically the same thing although the emphasis on gaining popular support is less important.
 
Mephisto said:
Evil is biting into a sandwich, tasting something funny and opening the sandwich to find half a cockroach. :)

My real opinion of evil is anything manmade (religion, politics, etc.) that doesn't take into consideration the lives of innocent people and tries (usually) to gain popular support for its actions through coersion, deception or propaganda. On an individual scale it's basically the same thing although the emphasis on gaining popular support is less important.
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An objective definition cannot contain subjectivity.
innocent
popular
coersion
deception
propaganda
basically
popular

Mine is better, cleaner...less evil.
 
A first stab... the intentional, knowing, without the object's (or objects') permission, taking an action to worsen the object's (or objects') condition as evaluated by the object (or objects). This can be mitigated by this action having a secondary effect of avoiding a greater or equivalent harm to at least as many objects of equivalent or greater class.

Aaron
 
Why do you keep making such evil posts, Mephisto? You know you aren't acting in Rob's best interests. And as the designated driver for his campaign staff, I have to say, evil people suck.

Aaron
 
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Life is evil. Every living minute of it, from birth to death. The false hope, the fake encouragement, the lying platitudes and simplistic assurances of success if you just work hard at it.

All lies. All evil. All the time.
 
HeavyAaron said:
Why do you keep making such evil posts, Mephisto? You know you aren't acting in Rob's best interests. And as the designated driver for his campaign staff, I have to say, evil people suck.

Aaorn
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I am TRULY evil, I'm completely ambivalent about Rob's best interests, I hate America, I rail against the policies of my government, I bemoan the gradual elimination of our rights and freedom, I think Israel is a little too fervent in its defense, I speak out against anyone using people for profit and I think our President is an evil moron. You're right, evil people suck! :)
 
Rob Lister said:
Define innocent.
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Uncorrupted by evil, malice, or wrongdoing; sinless: an innocent child.
Not guilty of a specific crime or offense; legally blameless: was innocent of all charges.
Within, allowed by, or sanctioned by the law; lawful.
Not dangerous or harmful; innocuous: an innocent prank.
Candid; straightforward: a child's innocent stare.
Not experienced or worldly; naive.
Betraying or suggesting no deception or guile; artless.

Take your pick.
 
Mephisto said:
I am TRULY evil, I'm completely ambivalent about Rob's best interests, I hate America, I rail against the policies of my government, I bemoan the gradual elimination of our rights and freedom, I think Israel is a little too fervent in its defense, I speak out against anyone using people for profit and I think our President is an evil moron. You're right, evil people suck! :)
Click to expand...

Yes, I know all of these things about you (I have a file). I'm just asking that you keep them to yourself in the future. ;)

Aaron
 
slingblade said:
Life is evil. Every living minute of it, from birth to death. The false hope, the fake encouragement, the lying platitudes and simplistic assurances of success if you just work hard at it.

All lies. All evil. All the time.
Click to expand...


If you do get a job interview, it's probably best not to mention this. :)
 
Let's summarize...

Here's part of your definition...
My real opinion of evil is anything manmade (religion, politics, etc.) that doesn't take into consideration the lives of innocent people
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I ask you define Innocent

Mephisto said:
Uncorrupted by evil
Click to expand...

So...

Your algerbretically substituted definition of evil is...

Anthing manmade that doesn't take into consideration the lives of people uncorrupted by evil.

How odd
How circular
How ...?
 
Rob Lister said:
Let's summarize...

Here's part of your definition...


I ask you define Innocent



So...

Your algerbretically substituted definition of evil is...

Anthing manmade that doesn't take into consideration the lives of people uncorrupted by evil.

How odd
How circular
How ...?
Click to expand...

How . . . dictionary.com

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/innocent

The quality of being morally bad or wrong; wickedness.
That which causes harm, misfortune, or destruction: a leader's power to do both good and evil.
An evil force, power, or personification.
Something that is a cause or source of suffering, injury, or destruction: the social evils of poverty and injustice.

http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/evil
 
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Rob Lister said:
Evil is that which, all things considered, is not in my best interest.
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So, to Palestinians the definition of evil is Israel.

To Lebanese the definition of evil is Israel

To Iraqis the definition of evil is America.

To you, I am evil because I don't care about your best interests.
 
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