Good People ==> Good Acts [1]The converse of this is:
Not (Good Acts) ==> Not (Good People) [2]Now if we define:
Not (Good Acts) = Evil Acts
Not (Good People) = Evil PeopleThen we get
Evil Acts ==> Evil People [3]Now is the following true:
Good Acts ==> Good People [4]No it is not. [4] is false,ie does not follow logically from fundamental premise, [1].
In other words if you see good acts it does not tell you whether someone is good or evil. For both good and evil people can do good acts. But if you see evil, it is certain than the perpetrator is evil.
Does someone who does good, always know that he has done good?
Does someone who does good here, also do good elsewhere?
Does someone who does good today, do good tomorrow?
Does someone who does something good, mean to do good, or is it just an coincidence?
Does someone who wants to do good always achieve that aim?
Does someone who does something bad, always know that it was bad?
Does someone who does something bad, always intend to do bad?
If I do bad here, will I do bad elsewhere?
If I do bad today … etc.
The poll reduces discussion to “who’s for evil” - “right, that’s sorted out!”
I really don’t think we can achieve anything this way.
The fact of the matter is that both good and evil acts are not under any one person’s control.
All that is under my control is my own good intention. (Act can be hindered or thwarted, intentions cannot)
Now, the keyword is ‘good’. Good is opinion. That is the way things are. Whatever serves my interest is in my good. Whatever is expedient is good. If it happens that I believe it in my interest to intend altruistically then that is in my selfish interest.
Let everyone do exactly as they like, which is what actually does happen in the world, no problem. My responsibility is to my own moral purpose. I can improve myself but not others: that is their business, not mine.
I don’t think you can give a moral value to a physical object, including people. Saying “This is an evil person” makes as much sense as saying “That is an evil bowling ball”.
Now, there are people for whom the harm from their evil acts outweighs the good from their good acts, or at least, they are more known for their evil acts than their good acts. It’s perfectly reasonable to have a word for people such at this. We can call then “Evil People” if we want, as long as we don’t let the terminology confuse us into thinking that a person can be evil like an act can be evil.
Surely we don’t ascribe good or evil to inanimate objects like a bowling ball or a rock or a knife or a gun or a nuclear bomb.
Also surely we do not think of any dog or cat or horse or tiger or shark or scorpion or spider or virus or bacteria or flower or tree as good or evil, do we?
But only humans - of ourselves and of our acts - do the idea of good and evil arise.
Whats the difference between a human and a rock? The human is living: he has a spirit.
Whats the difference between a human and an animal? Some may say no difference: we are just another biological species, evolved from the apes. Some however may say we are different, for we have souls and animals dont. If so then the seat of goodness and evilness is it not in the soul? in us?
*2-Many people do indeed, claim that diseases (bacteria) are bad and evil; some also say that sharks are evil for killing people, as well as many other animals are considered evil for this.
*3-We do not have a spirit, at least none that we know of, so please don’t ever use the unknown such as that for proof…I know that you may believe in that mumbo-jumbo, but that just doesn’t float my boat, nor some other peoples’ boats here, as well.
*4-We did not evolve from apes, I am sorry…
*5-See *3 [spirit—>soul].
*6-It is not in the soul, anything can do something `bad´ on purpose, thus making it an act of evil, not necesarily making that thing an evil thing, but, rather, making it capable of evil.
To we who understand such terms and, e.g., that called ‘god,’ the Bible, for instance, makes perfect moral sense.
To those whose understanding is still in an early developmental stage terms such as these, i.e., soul, spirit, god, (etc.,) mean nothing except mumbo-jumbo.
Or, you, are in an early developmental stage, much like a 5 year old is, and you like to `play make believe,´ as there isn’t a soul, spirit, or God. So please, don’t say I am in an early stage when my logic is much more advanced and logical, if you will, than yours.
I may appear to do so, but I don’t. I am just stating what you said back to you, just because I compared you to a five year old means nothing, people whom believe in such nonsense agrivate me. Spirits, souls, God, and the like, all are made up by the human mind, we ask why, and if we can’t find an answer we make them up. It is just human nature, if we can’t have an answer, we make up something to feel content with ourselves. And, I have advanced wisdom, advanced knowledge, advanced understanding, and advanced power; but logic, logic is what brings it all together and makes me superiour to most people on this board, I have seen many intelligent people on these boards, such as Rafajafar, Uccisore, and yourself, but most people on this board are just downright stupid. Pardon me if this insults you, but I am giving you more respect than you deserve. Please, do not insult me in any way whatsoever, I do not appreciate `bull-shitters´ that just make stuff up and contradict everything to appear to be smart. Thank you for your time.
Listen man, I have nothing against you at all. I do have respect. I even agree with a lot of what you say.
Listen, if you met me and we had a chat and a beer we’d get on great I’m sure. We’re both human, and that means we have a hell of a lot in common.
I love to have a good laugh, and to do all the things you do.
One more thing, we’re in this together friend. All these words are shit - no one knows the final answer to anything in this crazy old world. ILP is nothing without you and me writing all this crap here. What’s going on is more than mere words on a screen. It’s like greater than the sum of its parts. Like we’re actually creating god here and now on ILP.
Stick with it buddy. I love you. Don’t let any shit I say rattle you.