Evil?

[Big RR]

The recent school shooting in CT raised some questions for me as to evil and what it is. I know I have stated many times in the past that I don't believe there is something that exists which we could call "evil", but as that term was tossed around so many times in the media, and as we seem to be hitting a drought on topics to discuss, I figured I'd raise the issue for discussion.

My first question is this--for those who believe that evil exists, how do you define it? The easiest way would be to say evil just means very bad--possibly depraved or horrible, in which case it would be nearly impossible to argue it does not exist--bad things happen (for whatever reason) and some things are worse than others. So evil must, by its very defintion, exist, although we could all argue what acts are bad enough to deserve the label.

However it seems to me that most people would define evil as something different. Many would define it as a separate force or entity (such as the governor's statement that evil visited us). For those who subscribe to this, what do you define evil as--is it something personnifed (such as the devil or the antichrist or some supernatural monster?)? Or is it some counterbalance to good (in a cosmic yin yang, e.g.)? Is it something that can control our behavior or possess us against our wills, or is it something we must, like the proverbial vampire, invite in? Are we merely pawns in a cosmic struggle of good vs evil, or do we control our own destinies?

I think it's fairly clear that what was in the past referred to as demonic/evil possession proved to be mental or neurological illensses, so another way of defining evil is to use it to fill in the gaps--to use it to explain the unexplainable--in which case our defintion of evil will shrink as we better understand human behavior and mental illness. Is this what evil is, a metaphysical fudge factor?

Those are the initial ways I see it, but feel free to add your ideas and understanding. Personally, I subscribe to the existence of evil as being a fudge factor, something we use to explain away things that bother us. As such, I maintain that it does not exist, but is merely a construct--that human beings are clearly capable of doing horrible things to each other without the need tto invoke the supernatural, however attractive that might be.

Comments?

[Crackpot]

there is many ways to look at evil and as I see it there are two facets of it.

1 Evil as a "force" or a "being". this is to be honest completely subjective. I believe in it because I have personal experience with it. I have "felt" it. However as a something that is only personally experienced and quite truthfully impossible to describe I don't have much of an issue with people not beliving in it.

2 Evil as an act. This provided an accurate definition does exist. THough people can have varying definitions. I personally see it as an act performed entirely out of ones percieved self-intrest. I see the problem as one of "why" rather than "what" intent in my opinon matters. Which is why I belive Objcectivisim is an evil philosophy.

[Gob]

Interesting, a word that has so many religious / superstitious connotations we really should eradicate its use.

Evil is profound immorality, especially when regarded as a supernatural force, for example in religious belief.


Evil is usually perceived as the dualistic opposite of good. Definitions of evil vary, as does the analysis of its root motives and causes; however, evil is commonly associated with conscious and deliberate wrongdoing, discrimination designed to harm others, humiliation of people designed to diminish their psychological well-being and dignity, destructiveness, motives of causing pain or suffering for selfish or malicious intentions, and acts of unnecessary or indiscriminate violence. The philosophical question of whether morality is absolute or relative leads to questions about the nature of evil, with views falling into one of four opposed camps: moral absolutism, amoralism, moral relativism, and moral universalism.

[oldr_n_wsr]

Interesting topic BigRR and thanks for the for the opening. While I remain open to all opinions and may change my view multiple times during the hopefully lengthy discussion my personal opinion "right now" is that evil is the ultimate of selfishness.

Being an alcoholic with no religious ties (Catholic upbringing not withstanding) I find myself trying to be more and more spiritual. While I do not claim to hold any weight in spiritualness, I try to reach out and help others and by helping others, I help myself. Be it to get better or to feel better about myself. Selfish that may be, but at least there is aid to others and I feel that is a good thing.

Evil, on the other hand, does things only for itself, with no regard (either good or bad) for others. I don't want to put a particular person (idol?) to that evil as we all have some evil tendencies. Outcomes mean nothing to evil, only immediate gratification, immediate results and immediate attention. Shooting 26 people starts with one shot, then the "thrill" (for lack of a better word) escalates from there. Immediately, evil can feed itself and get more and more into a frenzy (feedy sharks?). When finally confronted with stark truth, it dissipates. Perhps remorse sets in and the only solution is to extinguish the evil (taking ones own life).

I see a lot of parallels with addiction/alcoholism which is described as a disease. Maybe your "gaps" in our understanding of the human mind. Maybe, at some point, we can "fix" it or at least diagnose it. Right now they cannot pre-diagnose addiction other than to say people may be prone to it due to family history. Same with cancer.