Why be good (as opposed to evil)?

Question

I want a philosophical answer!

Answer 1

Being good requires less effort than being evil.
Our normal tendency is to be good... we receive better reponses from others when we're good or do good deeds.

Answer 2

The definition of Good and Evil is up to the that individual whter it's based upon the event that is taking place, or the belief system that the individual lives by. We can see one person hurt someone because that person hurt his family- Who's evil? Who's good? A person is willing to die for his faith and take others in that event. Was he evil? Do the 'others' become good for dying for no reason of their own?

You ask "why", when maybe you should ask yourself "What is evil, what is good?" Again, the standard being what you believe in will justify your path. If others do not agree, then are they the judge of you? Of your belief?

It is very true that one cannot exsist without the other. If we do not know what is 'evil' to us, then how can we tell if we are being 'good'?

To ask such a question you are questioning what you believe in.

Answer 3

well, first of all you're going to have to figure out what is good, and what is evil. to do that, you're going to have to embark on a pretty serious ethical journey of discovery, and even then you'll arguably only find out what *you* consider to be good or evil. But assuming we go with a simplified utilitarian view of ethics [i.e. what is good is the thing which maximizes 'happiness' for the most people], then the benefits of doing good become clear - the most people are happy. Usually this will include yourself. However, the quickest answer is the golden rule - if everyone lives by civilized standards then everyone is safer. And I think security is a pretty universal desire.

Answer 4

Begin with the theory of Yin & Yang and that the world exists because of this cosmic balance, and that we all start out "neutral," with choices, and that evil is, on the surface, more tempting than good, then you should choose to be good to help maintain the cosmic balance and thereby keep the universe in existence.

Peace.

Answer 5

There is no good or evil...there are only events and actions that are individually judged as good or evil. If the majority of people believed something that was once thought as evil were good it would become good based on public opinion.

Nothing is black and white.

Answer 6

Because what goes around always comes around! Whether you get evil returned to you immediately in some form or later,even in the next life,as karma,it will come back to you.We are born here in this Earth plain to experience the life experience and work through past wrongs to others who we have wronged and or to have more happiness with other's who we could not get enough of in our past lives together.We all choose to be on this planet and interact at this time.There are no accidents! We also have free choice[good and evil]the original sin going back to Adam and Eve,that God gave us and is a dichotomy in our lives;the daily struggle between good and evil,the good the bad,the up the down,etc.We struggle to be good while tempted like Eve in the Garden of Eden...between advertising and competing with our neighbor's.We think we should have this and are brainwashed into believing we need things,when they are not needs at all..just foolish wants.I believe those are temptations of evil.We all should know right from wrong..like it is wrong to kill,and rape,and steal..the Ten Commandments.We should follow them as God created them as His laws for mankind..period.We should be afraid to do evil for that other place,Hell - where we will go for all eternity,and or the Hell that will befall us here on Earth such as prison if we commit such act's that break mans law's also.We should always fear God! If we follow the good,and do good always,we are rewarded by God/the Universe by following our intuition and the synchronicity of life flows and we feel the energy of God being distributed to others through us and our actions.or at least I do.To me that is reason enough to follow and continue doing good acts such as charities,etc.I have been regressed and have seen my past lives and in one of them I was touched and blessed by Jesus,and I served Him until I died.In my current life,I am gay.Does that mean I am going to go to Hell? Am I evil because I am gay? No.My soul that was blessed by Jesus is the same soul now as it was then..and I know I am going to Heaven when judgement day rolls around,because a soul cannot change it's roots..it is permanent..so it is the same..and I was created gay for this life..that is all the assurance I need.I choose to be good and love and give hope and joy.Peace.

Answer 7

Because what goes around comes around and what you give you'll end up taking. If you're mean to a person or animal you'll end up suffering the same treatment. That's just Karma.

Answer 8

i think its kind of a just in case thing. noone is truly sure there is a god out there that will end the world, but " just in case " something does exist, noone wants to be that one guy that was out mixing goats blood with latex condoms and harrassing woman and children right?

Answer 9

It's more of a challenge.

(You don't think that's a philosophical answer? Nietzsche would ...)

Answer 10

well in tao, theres ying and yang, good and evil, push and pull, they are nothing without the other. So you should do everything without doing nothing