who is evil or selfish only because they were conditioned that way and don't know any better?
2007-01-30 15:28:59 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
You answered your own question: choice.
If one knows no other way, one can only be faulted for not educating oneself otherwise.
If one chooses to be that way, one can be completely faulted for everything one does with no exception.
But . . . everyone should still be held accountable for their own actions.
2007-01-30 15:33:31 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Selfish is a dictionary referent term whose meaning is: "actions characteristic or proper to the self (an adult educated and normative human being of 37 1/2 to 45 years of age or older.
Does that sound immoral, unethical or evil?
It is only "evil' to totalitarians, opponents of the individuals rights to life, liberty and pursuit of priorities that he/she thinks will make him happy.
Now you see the terrible cost of having a pseudo-medieval government of two parties who both are anti-world, anti-self and anti-American.
As to your question, a few people are genetically warped enough that their only wish is to commit crimes against others.
Their percentage of the population should be no more than 3--6% in any Age. The other make bad choices, because they are postmodernists--people who believe one can ignore, lie about or substitute something for real space-time, its nature and consequences. They could be helped--but if they don't choose to do so before they commit a crime, we have to be watching them for signs of bullying, lying and other tries at defrauding and misusing other people. They always show something--even if it's trying to be 'too perfect" to impress or avoid punishment by others.
2007-01-30 23:42:14 · answer #2 · answered by Robert David M 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
What you choose to do and how you do it.
There are many people that blame their insanity and link it with their 'evilness' and selfishness. There are many that don't know society's 'ideal' ethics about right and wrong.
There are many people that just different, too different to be accepted. There are many that are affected and live in fear of humanity and retaliate.
It depends on more than choice, but also how you view that situation.
2007-01-30 23:45:21 · answer #3 · answered by Sam 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
One presupposes freewill and the other does not.
The first one is the evil character has appears in Christian imagery; He has chosen to go against the order set out by God and is morally reprehensible as a result. (But also sometimes referred to as lost).
The second one belongs more to the world of Greek tragedy, where heroes have a destiny and where passions are sent by the Gods to rule the lives of men.
I don't think these categories are necessarily mutually exclusive. It all depends how you see the world.
2007-01-30 23:33:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Little but for effectiveness of methods. Really, ALL humans are selfish by nature. Some few realize this is wrong and work to change it. Some few realize this is profitable and work to maximize it. The rest are cannon fodder.
2007-01-30 23:32:20 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
First person who knows what is right and fails to do it.
The next person is ingorent- thus doesn't know the difference between what is right and what is wrong.
And then there is a third sort of person who is sociopathic and isn't capable of being a good person.
2007-01-31 06:47:51 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Some people are so sensitive to negative energy that they become overwhelmed by it, to the point that they feel they,ve LOST their own identity We all feel lost and "not ourselves".
2007-01-30 23:51:57 · answer #7 · answered by Susan A 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The realization of how it affects others and whether you care if it does or not.
2007-01-31 00:06:03 · answer #8 · answered by Slimsmom 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing - but their victims don't deserve either.
2007-01-31 08:14:26 · answer #9 · answered by intelligentbutdizzy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋