Regarding 'bad' and 'good'.

I noticed the thread "Has Christianity hurt or helped civilization more?" And I realized there was one very crucial flaw in this topic as well as in it's contributions. Dagnabitt, if you're out there you should definitely help me out here with your philosophy degree.

Good and bad (hurt or help) are interesting concepts. They are something that I am surprised humans have claimed to know.

Good and bad depend on the individual. They do not exist as an absolute value. To ask if something is 'bad' or 'good' is to ask the impossible. To ask their opinion is, on the other hand, very possible.

A little help on this topic - I do not pretend to completely grasp this idea and would enjoy reading some opinions and knowledge of it.

Well, I'd say that evolution has instilled in us a desire to survive and continue our species so anything that threatens that would be considered bad.

That's why we have laws against people harming others. We have decided that it's bad if everyone would just take what they want by force or kill people or whatever.

[ArgonPlasma2000]

quote:Originally posted by R_I:

Well, I'd say that evolution has instilled in us a desire to survive and continue our species so anything that threatens that would be considered bad.

That's why we have laws against people harming others. We have decided that it's bad if everyone would just take what they want by force or kill people or whatever.

By the same merit then killing another so as to survive would be good then? I dont mean to say self defense, perhaps if you were fat and i were hungry?

Whats not to get? Good and evil are relative to any one person. However if you believe in a god he is your standard of good.

ArgonPlasma2000:

By the same merit then killing another so as to survive would be good then? I dont mean to say self defense, perhaps if you were fat and i were hungry?

No, because the long term effect would be less people surviving. Why do we have laws against killing someone because you are hungry and want to eat them? We have instincts that tell us that we want to avoid activities that result in death (and pain in general, too) and perhaps we are talking about caring for society as a whole.



Whats not to get? Good and evil are relative to any one person. However if you believe in a god he is your standard of good.

Right. To keep the thread going, I'll ask you this: Where does God get his standard of good then? How does it work when he's a standard of good for humans? Is he a standard of good too for himself? Isn't that arbitrary? Is saying that something that God does is good is in effect just saying that God does as he does?

This question goes out to the Christians (or perhaps the religious in general): Do you think that good and bad are physical things in the universe? This could mean energy, atoms, or something along these lines (ie something concrete and not abstract). If so, please support your opinion. Granted, this will be difficult so just do your best.

quote:Originally posted by chaski86:



Good and bad (hurt or help) are interesting concepts. They are something that I am surprised humans have claimed to know.

Good and bad depend on the individual. They do not exist as an absolute value. To ask if something is 'bad' or 'good' is to ask the impossible. To ask their opinion is, on the other hand, very possible.

A little help on this topic - I do not pretend to completely grasp this idea and would enjoy reading some opinions and knowledge of it.

Well, in my opinion, there is no such thing as "good and bad". Logically, there can never be. Everyone who reads the bible is going to interpret it differently. Hence, I am agnostic. I refuse to believe in something like hell. One may say something like "duhh.. well, doesn't that mean hitler can be right?". The answer to that would be yes. It is up to society to make up rules to protect itself. If God wanted to enforce a moral code upon humanity, he would have done it himself. Think about it... The catholic church has done some pretty sick shit in the really, really old days. The inquisition and all the witch trials are a two good examples. I recall that at one point in history, having sex with the girl on top would get you burned at the stake.

[Digital_Savior]

quote:Originally posted by chaski86:

This question goes out to the Christians (or perhaps the religious in general): Do you think that good and bad are physical things in the universe? This could mean energy, atoms, or something along these lines (ie something concrete and not abstract). If so, please support your opinion. Granted, this will be difficult so just do your best.

Strictly METAphysical.

Why ? Because without the existence of sin, which is God created for those who believe in Him, there would be no "bad".

The actual knowledge of "bad" or "evil" is what prompts our conscience...and that is God created.

That wasn't hard to explain at all. *winks*

[Viraljimmy]

The actual knowledge of "bad" or "evil" is what prompts our conscience...and that is God created.

That's crazy. Conscience comes from

empathy for other living things.

Christianity can make people do

good things, but it is usually by

manipulating their basest motives -

aversion to pain

and attraction to pleasure.

The driving forces of christianity

in modern times are

conditioning, fear, tribalism,

and ignorance. Good night.

[Hexadecimal]

Please man, hung over here...type in prose.

[ArgonPlasma2000]

Right. To keep the thread going, I'll ask you this: Where does God get his standard of good then? How does it work when he's a standard of good for humans? Is he a standard of good too for himself? Isn't that arbitrary? Is saying that something that God does is good is in effect just saying that God does as he does?

The onlnswer i can tell you is that He is the standard of good for all createdbeings because that is exactly how He lives. He says dont sin because He does not sin. Arbitrary it may be, but i cant speculate further because the answer can only come from God Himself.

[I_Like_Traffic_Lights]

quote:Originally posted by Hexadecimal:

Please man, hung over here...type in prose.