Evil

[JerryB]

Evil is the intention to do harm.

Mm. I think so too. Is that all it is?

[JerryB]

. . in my opinion evil is how you perceive an event or thing, . . after all you could Perceive "God" as evil . .

Hi ashlea! Welcome to ScienceForums. I'm kind of new here myself.

I also used to think anything could be seen as Evil depending

on your point of view. I don't think that anymore but at the time

that I did, it never occurred to me to include God in my "anything".

 

I no longer think that Evil is simply a point of view, but just by

coincidence, about an hour before I read your comment, that

possibility did occurr to me for the first time. I find that a very

exciting idea, intellectually. I mean I understand that you aren't

necessarily suggesting that God is Evil. But anyway, it's fun to

think about.

 

Evil is a state of mind.

That's exciting too, Ashlea, because I believe the same thing, but I'm

not sure if we are using the same words to mean different things. Like

"state of mind". Can you define just what kind of state of mind might be

defined as Evil?

[ashlea]

Can you define just what kind of state of mind might be

defined as Evil?

im afraid i cant, even though i was the one that said it. all i can really tell you is that it would have to be diffrent for everyone as everybody has diffrent personalities and thoughts. Now that i think about it theres nothing i really think of as pure evil, so to speak, so i guess its a state of mind i dont share. sorry i dont really think i answered your question.

[JerryB]

sorry i dont really think i answered your question.

No, but you obviously thought about it and you definitely made

some progress. Please try a little more. But take your time. If you come

up with something I'd like to hear it.

[GAHD]

I've got to think about the first part of your message

a bit more. But for now I'm focussed on the above quote, "evil

by choice". I want to get that clearer, if possible. Do people choose to do Evil? Do you?

I recognize evil that I can do, sometimes I choose to do it.

 

Is it possible that what you do is Evil but you don't know that it's Evil?

Of course, every action has a reaction. Right now I'm sure some butterfly in California is wreaking havoc on the farmers in Australia. (Further explanation available upon request)

I can think of a few actions I've taken that I didn't think were 'evil' at the time but my experience has since proven me wrong.

 

If you never intend to do Evil, does that mean that you never do Evil?

If you're Omniscient, or really really lucky, then shure.

 

And can you decide whether or not what other people do is Evil?

I do on occasion, but then again I'm kinda judgmental.

 

Too many questions I'm afraid. But I'll be happy even if you

only answer one or two.

Not at all too many; why would I be on an internet forum if I didn't have views to express to total strangers?

 

Now, Back to the stuff I posted before this little tidbit?

[JerryB]

Not at all too many (questions)

Yes, yes, definitely too many. Too many for me because they

generated too many answers and now they're strewn all over

the place like a jigsaw puzzle attacked by a suicide bomber

and it's late at night and I'm too tired to pick up the pieces and

try to put them back together. But tomorrow's Sunday and I'll

have the whole day to work on it at my leisure.

Of course, every action has a reaction. Right now I'm sure some butterfly in California is wreaking havoc on the farmers in Australia. (Further explanation available upon request)

No further explanation necessary, I'm just glad to hear that the damn

butterfly is out of Brazil. California has all the chaos it can handle and

Gahd knows it will do Australia some good.

[C1ay]

An immoral, malevolent or wicked consideration or treatment of others for some personal satisfaction.

[JerryB]

GAHD

 

My previous questions were intended to help me

understand your phrase "evil by choice".

 

Maybe I should have chosen my questions more

carefully. The answers didn't help me. The problem

I had was that I find it difficult to think that people

choose to do or be evil. I think even history's worst

villains always believed that what they were doing

was right, perhaps necessary and maybe not

necessarily good but not evil either. Well, let's

leave it there

Evil is; anything that does not benefit life.

You seem to be thinking of Life in too short-sighted a way.

Possibly, and possibly in a way different from you. But it would

be too much of a digression (for me anyway) to discuss the

meaning of "life" as preparation to discussing the meaning of

Evil. Just one abstract term at a time if possible.

Now, Back to the stuff I posted before this little

tidbit?

A few other ways of getting at what I mean:

-non-life ends life, it is evil (nukes, precarious rocks at the top of cliffs, etc..)

-life ends life with reason, not evil (food, protection)

-life ends life without reason, evil (sport, murder)

Okay, I think I understand that without needing to define life

any more clearly. I dunno GAHD, the only thing left that I just

can't get is, "Evil is; anything that does not benefit life."

And that seems to be essentially because we have a different

idea about the concept of life. So maybe we should work on

that after all.

 

My idea of life is pretty much the way it's defined in biology

books. I have the impression that you mean that also. But

you think my concept is too short-sighted. In what way?

[0100genius]

evil is one who seeks pleasure in your pain and sorrow

[Queso]

so obviously we have distinguished that evil is just as much of an opinion was everything else.

[GAHD]

My idea of life is pretty much the way it's defined in biology

books. I have the impression that you mean that also. But

you think my concept is too short-sighted. In what way?

 

Not necesairily your concept, I was more referrring to the post by Unclwe Aly that you were referring to. I saw "I agree" and assumed you ment to the entire content opf his post, I'll open that one up:

Mice feed on dead bodies.Black plague is good because mice get to eat.

 

That was short sighted in that it doesn't follow the trail of effects completly; the surviving population have a wicked immune system, which is likely a genetic trait that is passed into subsequent generations.It benifitted life.

I sometimes do things that I know will contribute to killing the planet, but it's a choice I make. Other people would lump more of the things I do in as 'evil', but in the end it does all become relative.

[coldcreation]

yo,

 

It can be shown that the idea of black holes appear in history prior to the sixth century B.C., in Persia, the first concentration of all evil in a singular personal form. His name is Ahriman, described by Zarathustra (Zoroaster) as the Principle of Darkness (evil) engaged in ceaseless conflict with Ormazd (or Mazda), the Principle of Light (good), for control of the world.

 

We see that the shape or form of current scientific ideology bears some resemblance to the age-old concept of opposition between light and dark forces.

 

 

Better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

[geko]

Evil is a man-made concept/idea under which we place certain thoughts and prejudices' according to our social view.

 

Good is the same.

 

More accurate terms are agreement and disagreement.

[bumab]

Better to reign in hell than to serve in heaven

 

Milton? In a science forum?!

 

The pride inherent in that statement makes it non-sensical. If one were content to reign in hell, one wouldn't have the pride to not WANT to reign in heaven. The statement assumes heaven is better, so the infinite pride exhibited by satan could not be content to reign in hell. It's a tounge in cheek saying...

 

The root of all evil is pride, according to Milton.

[Chaos]

even in a star wars movie i think there's a quote saying "good is a point of view."

 

in terms of the universe, i don't think there is ultimate good or bad. if a comet smashes into earth tomorrow and ends our civilization does the universe care? i don't think so. to the human point of view it would be bad.

 

anyway, definitely there is no heaven or hell. and there are no good gods and bad satans or any of that nonsense.