Existance of Good or Evil

1. 59

   Stone Crowposted 12 years ago

   Is there a such a thing as good and evil, or is it just a product of the evolution of civilization?

   replyreport
   1. 95

      wildernessposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Good and evil are either defined by God or man.
      
      If by God then there is such a thing.  If defined by man then it would be, as you say, a product of the evolution of civilization.
      
      Does God exist, and has He defined good and evil?

      replyreport
2. 71

   Cagsilposted 12 years ago

   Last time I checked, good and evil are human concepts, so as to navigate a social aspect and interaction among other citizens of humanity.
   
   It's based on harming or not harming of others. Other than that, there's the human conscience which determines right or wrong. However, I'm not sure it has anything to do with evolution.
   
   The only reason a person has a conscience is because they have consciousness(self-awareness). If they didn't have consciousness, then they would have no understanding of right or wrong.

   replyreport
   1. 59

      Stone Crowposted 12 years agoin reply to this

      Wouldnt the conscience be a byproduct of the sociological concepts of good and evil? And furthermore do these Judeo-Christian beliefs of good and evil contribute to the growing epidemic of  "mental illnesses" as the golden age of organized religion dwindles and we progress too quickly for the pens of the dead to keep up and stifle the birth of new ideas.

      replyreport
      1. 71

         Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

         The conscience is a byproduct of consciousness(self-awareness).
         I will agree that religion stifles new ideas which could be beneficial for humanity and in one aspect the beliefs of the individuals who are religious, could be defined as a 'mental' illness. However, more self-awareness and understanding of life would probably fix that. But, religious beliefs are never going to be considered a disease of the mind.
         
         I know several people who have classified it as a disease of the mind, but they are few in number, considering 80% of the world's population has a religious belief of some sort.

         replyreport
         1. 59

            Stone Crowposted 12 years agoin reply to this

            I was asking if supressing our basic animalistic instincts and painting them as wrong and unnatural contributes to the growing epidemic of mental illnesses. I did enjoy your post, but i believe the development of a conscience was nurture not nature. When our species was in its infantcy do you think we felt bad for bashing our brothers head in with a rock and taking his food?

            replyreport
            1. 71

               Cagsilposted 12 years agoin reply to this

               It could be. I'm not actually knowledgeable with regards to mental illness. Humankind is an animal in it's basic instincts and anyone denying it, wouldn't have knowledge of being human. Suppressing them or anything is dangerous, but that animal instinct could be handled in another manner, other than killing each other.
               Well, that could be true.
               Nope. From what I've learned, for many millions of years, humankind wandered Earth being lead by their sub-conscious and were not aware of their own existence.
               
               Roughly 9000 years ago, human consciousness(self-awareness) began breaking through to the fore-front.

               replyreport
3. 71

   AEvansposted 12 years ago

   Uh Oh, here we go!

   replyreport
4. 85

   gmwilliamsposted 6 years ago

   Yes, there is GOOD & EVIL.  It is nothing to do w/religiosity.   There are people who have higher & lower consciousness.  There are some people who are more base than others who have no compunctions in harming others.  There are people who refuse to take responsibility nor be accountable for their actions.  To say that there is no good & evil is being illogical.

   replyreport