Moral Nature of Human Beings: Born Good or Evil?

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Are humans naturally good or evil? How do social codes streatch this nature? Does environment have any effect on this?

Basically, this is a broad topic to discuss the moral nature of humans,and why we act the way we do

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[+1] - Butrflynet - 10/27/2003You'll need to give some definitions to the words "good" and "evil". Also, are we talking about humans across the planet or mostly Americans?
[+1] - Craven de Kere - 10/27/2003I vote for: some born with certain predispositions and the rest is circumstantial. I don't believe in things like "evil".
[+1] - tcb - 10/27/2003If one looks at the Ten Commandments (for example) it is easy to see that they were born out of necessity as stealing, lying, adultery and of course murder are still very human qualities. Then...
[+1] - EmoIntellectual - 10/27/2003Actually, I'd say all humans are born indifferent; we are all callous beings by nature and rely on mere instinct to survive. Our so called "conscience" and "morals" stem from...
[+1] - littlek - 10/27/2003I'd have to say I can't vote. Like Craven, I don't believe in the word evil. A truer, to me, contrast would be good or bad. But, almost nothing human is an extreme.
[+1] - Heliotrope - 10/28/2003I can't vote either. Actually I'm pretty sure I'd be unable to vote even if there were thousands of choices as I don't recognise the concepts as valid. Or relevant.
[+1] - Frank Apisa - 10/28/2003"Good"??? "Evil"???
[+1] - Locke-freeamerica - 10/28/2003Sorry everyone! i wasnt very clear (im new at this!) to clear it up a bit, i mean are humans born cruel and ruthless and are socially twisted into what they are now, but given the chance would...
[+1] - Frank Apisa - 10/28/2003[quote="Locke@freeamerica.gov"]Sorry everyone! i wasnt very clear (im new at this!) to clear it up a bit, i mean are humans born cruel and ruthless and are socially twisted into what...
[+1] - Frank Apisa - 10/28/2003One last thought. WELCOME to A2K. Stick around. You'll grow to love it.

You'll need to give some definitions to the words "good" and "evil".

Also, are we talking about humans across the planet or mostly Americans?

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I vote for: some born with certain predispositions and the rest is circumstantial.

I don't believe in things like "evil".

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If one looks at the Ten Commandments (for example) it is easy to see that they were born out of necessity as stealing, lying, adultery and of course murder are still very human qualities.
Then again benevolence, charity, compassion are no less human
So the question: Are humans naturally good or evil is un-answerable because as of this writing we are still very much both.
Cheers
t

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Actually, I'd say all humans are born indifferent; we are all callous beings by nature and rely on mere instinct to survive. Our so called "conscience" and "morals" stem from our upbringing and surroundings, and therefore cannot be attributed to birth-right. After all, every persons views on good and evil are skewed a bit from the next person; and why do you think that is?
-Justin

"Sometimes I can think to recite, words that I read and re-write; my pens paint people that I've proven wrong..."

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I'd have to say I can't vote. Like Craven, I don't believe in the word evil. A truer, to me, contrast would be good or bad. But, almost nothing human is an extreme.

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I can't vote either.
Actually I'm pretty sure I'd be unable to vote even if there were thousands of choices as I don't recognise the concepts as valid.
Or relevant.

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"Good"???

"Evil"???

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Sorry everyone! i wasnt very clear (im new at this!)

to clear it up a bit, i mean are humans born cruel and ruthless and are socially twisted into what they are now, but given the chance would steal and kill and basicall be evil (not in the religious sense of the word, but like bad) or are humans born forgiving and kind and given the chance would share everything and feed the hungry and all that good stuff. or are humans born compltely neutral and are shaped into society? and if they are, then how come come people are bad and others good?

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Locke@freeamerica.gov wrote:

Sorry everyone! i wasnt very clear (im new at this!)

to clear it up a bit, i mean are humans born cruel and ruthless and are socially twisted into what they are now, but given the chance would steal and kill and basicall be evil (not in the religious sense of the word, but like bad) or are humans born forgiving and kind and given the chance would share everything and feed the hungry and all that good stuff. or are humans born compltely neutral and are shaped into society? and if they are, then how come come people are bad and others good?

You are giving this a good effort, Locke, but you really are bitting off more than you can reasonably chew.

Everything you've said in this paragraph is speculation -- and I would not be surprised to find many people who speculate 180 degrees out of synch with you.

I'm an agnostic -- and I readily acknowledge that I do not know any of the stuff you are speculating about.

I'll think about it, but you've got more baking to do here.

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One last thought.

WELCOME to A2K.

Stick around.

You'll grow to love it.

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At a very instance of emergency, humans are well natured.
In a longer time span in which humans have time to contemplate and compare results of a behavior, they could go astray from well-natured inclination.

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haha yea i probably am (biting off too much) but is till do want opinions howveer broad. i am also agnostic. but i havesome beliefes that sometimes dont coincide with that, like the old Democrat-Republican argument. If you can dicifer my very unarticulate statement, do so as best you can and please respond, my beliefe is that humans are born loving hate, loving death and destruction, but are calmed by society.

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That really depends on how you define good and evil.

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it does, which is why i posted this, what are YOUR definitions of good and evil?

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I don't think there truly is "good" and/or "evil."

Question:

Suppose...

...a person develops a device that could annihilate everyone on the planet. If that person used the device and caused the death of every human and almost all other animal life...

...would he/she have committed an evil act?

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yes, for they are denying others their right to live. nobody wants to die (even people who commit suicide, they are merely trying to escape, they want o live, but live happy) i define evil as denying others moral rights (mainly happiness, although there are many execptions)

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Locke@freeamerica.gov wrote:

yes, for they are denying others their right to live. nobody wants to die (even people who commit suicide, they are merely trying to escape, they want o live, but live happy) i define evil as denying others moral rights (mainly happiness, although there are many execptions)

But why is it evil simply because you define it that way.

Why not call it "what I call evil."

"What I call evil" and "evil" are, more than likely, separate things. Hardly related.

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I thought it was assumed that my opinions are based on my knowledge, therefore on my definitions of words, i guess ill have to be more clear next time

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What if that person had information that the human race was diametrically opposed and provided a direct and mortal threat to all the other peace loving people in the galaxy ?
Would the act of the removal of the human cancer in the midst of galactic society not have been a reasonable move ?

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Moral Nature of Human Beings: Born Good or Evil?

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