[Mind's Eye] Re: My thoughts on absolute good and evil

Certainly valuable to me, Tony; so, just to clarify my earlier
thoughts and questions, you're suggesting:

"Good" is always purposive, is ultimately subjective either in
definition or interpretation, and is consequently unavoidably context
dependent (in value judgement; in which presumably rests the
definition of "Evil"?),

Interesting point you make about evolution and the "Good"; so,
projections of the collapse of our star in a few billion year from now
would be both objectively and subjectively bad news?

On Jul 11, 6:31 pm, Tony Orlow <t...@lightlink.com> wrote:
> Hi Ben -
>
> A good question, and not one that I haven't spent much time
> considering. Here are my thoughts.
>
> One many levels, good and evil are subjective. When a cheetah kills a
> gazelle, that is good in the cheetah's eye and evil in the gazelle's.
> Indeed, our sense of what is good or bad rests first in personal
> pleasure and pain, and as we mature, is extended by association to
> include that which helps or hurts an object of attachment. For the
> rich, the current financial situation is good, and for the many poor
> it is evil. One's personal judgment is generally dependent on their
> perspective.
>
> One the other hand, if we assume some greater good, then actions which
> encourage it are good, and those that set it back or hurt it are bad
> or even evil. For instance, for those that believe in evolution and
> would rather be a trillion human cells able to think on our level
> rather than a pool of algae, evolution may be viewed as a universally
> good thing. Actions that encourage it are good and those that impede
> it are bad. Since evolution happens on all levels, from stars to
> physical organism to minds and memes, one may view this as a universal
> good. Of course, this depends on whether one personally believes in
> evolution, so again, even this objective good is subjectively
> estimated by the individual.
>
> Hope that was a valuable contribution. Have a nice day
>
> Tony
>
> On Jul 8, 11:16 pm, Ben <artistta...@gmail.com> wrote:
>
>
>
> > I do not believe that we can define good and evil without entering
> > into a philosophical conversation.
>
> > Good and evil are not absolute rules nor can there be a universal good
> > or a universal evil.
> > The concept of what is good and what is evil must be taught to us as a
> > child, because we are not born inherently good or evil.
>
> > To murder is bad. However the statement does not speak of a universal
> > good. Murder in so many cases has been used in good ways.
> > Euthanization has been used to end a suffering patients life. Abortion
> > has been used to prevent a child from being born when childbirth could
> > end a mothers life. To murder is bad in many cases but not all. The
> > extreme case of the word murder means to kill another human being
> > under conditions specifically covered in law. We can not define murder
> > without discussing the implications. There are many instances where
> > murder must be re-defined as a good not a bad.
>
> > A child is not born inherently good or evil. Human beings are unique
> > in the power of our brain. We are able to quickly associate good and
> > bad. These associations are learned from society, our elders and
> > peers. A child that is born with no contact from these influences will
> > associate good and evil with pain and suffering. A child with contact
> > from these influences will be able to conceptualize good and evil and
> > apply it to many different aspects of everyday life.
>
> > Finally, no universal good or evil will ever be agreed upon. There is
> > no absolute good or bad that we must all follow. One concept can
> > impede on another and we must accept those societies that have a
> > rational way of thinking. Each society must continue to evolve these
> > rules and change the commandments that were made centuries ago to fit
> > the present day reality of life. To murder is bad, however we live in
> > a civilized county in which many cases of murder are legal because
> > they are good. No one is born inherently good or evil and our society
> > must continue to define every aspect of what could be good or bad in
> > order to teach our children and they to develop their own, more
> > complete understanding to be taught to their children.
>
> > I challenge those of you who have read this to define an absolute good
> > and evil.
>
> > Thanks,
> > Ben Kaylor- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -