From: Arcadia (arcadia@lynchburg.net)
Date: Tue Apr 16 2002 - 07:43:30 MDT
> >[rhinoceros]
> >Of course, good and evil is a man-made concept -- possibly different for
each \"thought system\" -- but even so, it does exist; this concept defines
what should be done and what should not. It provides some rules of conduct,
and when someone diverges it causes disaproval and guilt.
[arcadia]
The good/evil duality is man-made, but it does still have universal
qualities. Generally, pro-social activity is regarded as good, and
anti-social behavior is regarded as evil. Otrher social animals besides
humans may not have a concept of evil as we understand it, but they know
when one member of the group is being anti-social, and they respond first
with a sort of cold shoulder, after which this can escalate to killing or
exile, if the anti-social behavior continues. Now, all rhetoric aside, is
that really so different from good v evil? Having said this, I don't deny
that most folks who talk of good and evil and the 'moral compass' (which
always point to the iron sword of the Jehovan Warrior) most usually are
looking for power over others. (Sociology)
M. Scott Peck in The Road Less Traveled defined evil, if I remember right,
as the use of POWER [my emphasis] to HARM physical/emotional/spiritual
development of another. In this definition, he makes clear, power usually
implies institutions, and in the dictionary, harm can be defined as 'to mar
the perfection of.' I can go along with this definition, to some extent.
It takes in most everybody involved in churches, schools, government,
armies, even the well intentioned. Going out and trying to 'improve' others
is evil. (Moral Philosophy)
The Principia Discordia jokes about the 'Party for the Perpetual War On
Evil,' as one of the main branches of the 'conspiracy.' The joke is, if
everyone stopped vigilently fighting against evil, I guess about 70% would
disappear, since about 70% of evil is generated by people trying to fight
evil. (Dada)
Matt
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