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is evil really necessary ?

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Evil is not necessary, people should just be able to get along perfectly well as they are!
Evil just causes anger and then makes more evil!
Is a vicious cycle but it's just making the world an awful place to be!
Original post by Trill
It is evil is necessary. How would you define good if there is no evil to compare it to? How could you determine the levels of bad, if there is no evil.

There is not light, without darkness.


Posted from TSR Mobile
You're confusing '**** happens' with evil.

Someone slips, falls and dies... That's bad and we all know that if that person survives then that is good. That's how we know of the existence of good and bad, not because of the existence of evil.

If someone had stood at the side in that scenario and laughed at the death of the person all it would have done is add to the intensity of the feelings surrounding that person's death and against the other person. But the fact of the death being bad as opposed to good is defined by the human emotion it conjures up despite the complete accidental nature of it and complete lack of any outside 'evil'.
Original post by Little Popcorns
Wow that is a dodgy as **** argument about hitler... Philosophical or not...
And no I don't agree with the sentiment, there are animals that love eachother and live well together who obviously have no idea about the holocaust or hitler.


I think you will find that Humans disregard animals (the non human kind) as irrelevant when it comes to evil, due to their self-convinced 'specialness'.
This concept of 'evil and good' is obviously a religious one (at least Abrahamic religions) and denies evolution. If 'evil and/or good exist then why are humans the only ones to be blessed/affected by them?
Reply 24
Original post by RobML
Things can be defined against instances of lesser magnitude, just as well as their absence and opposite.


Original post by Little Popcorns
You're confusing '**** happens' with evil.

Someone slips, falls and dies... That's bad and we all know that if that person survives then that is good. That's how we know of the existence of good and bad, not because of the existence of evil.

If someone had stood at the side in that scenario and laughed at the death of the person all it would have done is add to the intensity of the feelings surrounding that person's death and against the other person. But the fact of the death being bad as opposed to good is defined by the human emotion it conjures up despite the complete accidental nature of it and complete lack of any outside 'evil'.


From my relativist ontological understanding evil knowing good and still choosing to do bad - repeatedly. People have the capacity to decide whether to behave in a way that society deems negative, as said people should know better. Therefore, what would you call these instance if the label of 'evil' is removed. A greater magnitude of bad?
Reply 25
I don't think there's any such thing as evil. Most of the worst crimes against humanity have been committed by madmen or men who are nihilists. And many of the rest were committed by fools who believed in God and thought they were doing good.

Humans think they are far more special than they (probably) really are thus any really serious crime against them is considered 'evil '.
Original post by dozyrosie
Can you actually give any evidence for this? It is a massive claim considering we have no idea what constitutes human, it also implies that prehuman animals had no evil/good. This whole post seems to suggest a creationist explanation for life.

Dude, it was just an excerption from one funny story. :smile:
Original post by dozyrosie
This concept of 'evil and good' is obviously a religious one (at least Abrahamic religions) and denies evolution. If 'evil and/or good exist then why are humans the only ones to be blessed/affected by them?
One only needs to read/research to find out why humans are affected by or have evil.

However, some believe that animals are affected by evil. An unbalance to nature that humans produce when acting among the creatures. This can be seen in form of pollution, poaching, etc.

In what way does the concept of good and evil deny evolution, or is this a ramble on about what religions do in general?
Original post by Trill
It is evil is necessary. How would you define good if there is no evil to compare it to? How could you determine the levels of bad, if there is no evil.

There is not light, without darkness.


Posted from TSR Mobile


Little Popcorns
You're confusing '**** happens' with evil.

Someone slips, falls and dies... That's bad and we all know that if that person survives then that is good. That's how we know of the existence of good and bad, not because of the existence of evil.

If someone had stood at the side in that scenario and laughed at the death of the person all it would have done is add to the intensity of the feelings surrounding that person's death and against the other person. But the fact of the death being bad as opposed to good is defined by the human emotion it conjures up despite the complete accidental nature of it and complete lack of any outside 'evil'.


Trill
From my relativist ontological understanding evil knowing good and still choosing to do bad - repeatedly. People have the capacity to decide whether to behave in a way that society deems negative, as said people should know better. Therefore, what would you call these instance if the label of 'evil' is removed. A greater magnitude of bad?

I think a concept of what is evil, would be appropriate. Trill says evil has a use in determining what is good. Can a use describe what something is?

Little Popcorns disagrees in this use, but thinks evil doesn't exist or is a term people put into sentences to describe something really bad.

I'd say both are on to something but missing the big picture. to what is evil? Trill what would you say evil is?
Original post by dozyrosie
This concept of 'evil and good' is obviously a religious one (at least Abrahamic religions) and denies evolution. If 'evil and/or good exist then why are humans the only ones to be blessed/affected by them?


They are not under most conceptions of good/evil secular or otherwise.
Original post by TorpidPhil
They are not under most conceptions of good/evil secular or otherwise.


I was talking about abrahamic religions.
Original post by da_nolo
One only needs to read/research to find out why humans are affected by or have evil.

However, some believe that animals are affected by evil. An unbalance to nature that humans produce when acting among the creatures. This can be seen in form of pollution, poaching, etc.

In what way does the concept of good and evil deny evolution, or is this a ramble on about what religions do in general?


If you think evil/good exists post your evidence, but not if it is totally dependent on your religious beliefs.
What some believe is irrelevant, you have to provide some argument that evil/good is apparent in animals(not forgetting that you would consider humans a distinct separation in evolutionary terms from other species) if it is not then other animals had a different route than us, god produced us evolution produced animals.
Original post by admonit
Dude, it was just an excerption from one funny story. :smile:


Carry on being funny, but isn't there a comedy thread on TSR? Incidentally I did not get the joke, my SOH quotient is rising.
Good and evil are totally subjective concepts. I doubt Hitlor Swift thinks she's evil.

Evil doesn't have to exist but it existing makes making decisions easier.
Original post by dozyrosie
If you think evil/good exists post your evidence, but not if it is totally dependent on your religious beliefs.
Ha! conundrum. How might a person put limitations on how something is explained if that prevents their own development in knowledge. Funny how you create this parameter where if anything I post seems religious, you can just blow it off and appeal to ignorance.


What some believe is irrelevant
You are some.

you have to provide some argument that evil/good is apparent in animals(not forgetting that you would consider humans a distinct separation in evolutionary terms from other species)
No. I am not saying evil is apparent in animal kingdom (as humans would be considered separate from rest of the animal kingdom due to historical tradition). To say something is apparent is to say that animals have some ability to be evil (as humans do).

I stated that a common belief is that animals or better yet, nature is affected by evil. Nature is affected by human activities - since evil can be used to describe human acts. I provided support for this: pollution.

One may see how pollution is damaging nature and see how it affects nature.

(not forgetting that you would consider humans a distinct separation in evolutionary terms from other species) if it is not then other animals had a different route than us, god produced us evolution produced animals..

Even in considering evolution, humans are distinct from other animal species. We can see how we are different. Would I consider distinct separation in evolutionary terms? what does those terms mean and what do you mean when using those terms?

Why does it have to be as you state in the last sentence?

If 'evil and/or good exist then why are humans the only ones to be blessed/affected by them?
Forgot to address this. Again we must consider what words are being used.

Animals are affected by humans.
Humans act in evil
Animals are affected by evil (but do not pertain or have evil)

Evil is absence of God.
Evil is allowed among humans as (first) humans have turned away from God (were given choice)
(As it is taught) animals do not pertain this choice or do not have the ability to choose.
If animals do not pertain this choice, then they do not have evil.
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Little Toy Gun
Good and evil are totally subjective concepts. I doubt Hitlor Swift thinks she's evil.

Evil doesn't have to exist but it existing makes making decisions easier.
Does a person thinking opposite or choosing opposite to what is good for them make what they are doing good for them?

For instance. Smoking is bad. I decided to smoke so now I'm stopping in to store tomorrow to resupply. Does my choice make smoking good?
Original post by da_nolo


Evil is absence of God.


Have you any proof of this ridiculous statement, If it is from your book of mythology, then I must point out that your god is the epitome of evil. The absence of god is a blessing, and once achieved frees the mind for better things.
Original post by dozyrosie
Have you any proof of this ridiculous statement, If it is from your book of mythology, then I must point out that your god is the epitome of evil. The absence of god is a blessing, and once achieved frees the mind for better things.

Quite so. We may look at many acts (abuse for example) to examine it in detail and determine how that act is indeed an act with out God. In case of abuse, a male abusing a female is an act for self, not pertaining to respect for that female.

God can not be absent of Himself.

Otherwise, have you more questions about animals or are you satisfied?
(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by da_nolo
Does a person thinking opposite or choosing opposite to what is good for them make what they are doing good for them?

For instance. Smoking is bad. I decided to smoke so now I'm stopping in to store tomorrow to resupply. Does my choice make smoking good?


As I've said it's subjective. That could be good for you because it satisfied your desire and you lived your life closer to its fullest.

I can't think of anything that's objectively bad for everyone, everything in every situation.
Original post by Little Toy Gun
As I've said it's subjective. That could be good for you because it satisfied your desire and you lived your life closer to its fullest.

I can't think of anything that's objectively bad for everyone, everything in every situation.
What about things that cause harm to others?
What about things that are generally dishonest and generate into a habit or continuous action. Like stealing.

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