Are humans born evil and taught good or born good and taught evil??

Question

I was recently asked this question by a professor and I just wonder what you all think. Whenever I think about it I get myself so contradicted, please help.

Answer 1

no one is born good or evil. we develop who we are through our experiences or lack of experience. also our cultural environment and childhood events play a significant role in our development.

also remember that what is good and what is evil sometimes is simply a matter of perspective.

Answer 2

Well I am a Law instructor maybe I can help. First of all the concept of good and evil is just that, "a concept." Different cultures accept and define different actions and ommisions as good and/or evil. So for example if masturbation (a normal function) is considered an inmoral act (evil act), could it be said that that person was born evil? Or was a simple and natural act deemed "evil" by that culture? The thing to pay attention to is, what came first, the "action/ommision" or "the definition?"I f the definition came in the latter, then it cannot be said that good nor evil are inherint trates. Learned behavior, is in itself a complex issue. Things like DNA memory and tradition play a major part in how humans act and react.
Criminology has performed many studies and to date they still can't find a "criminal gene." So if your professor can find an evil gene, then it could be said that humans are born evil, however, it get's more complex than that. There is such a thing called programed nature. In an example, lions hunt out of programed nature, they aren't born knowing how to hunt. Proof of that is the many studies done, in which a lion is raised in captivity and then released. That lion dies of starvation, because it doesn't know how to hunt. So the ultimate question in this case could be, was the first man on the planet born evil, or was he taught? The thing is, no one is born neither good nor bad. The society they are born into, decides that by applying preconceived notions and standards on them in the atempt to standardise and label people to be able to guilt trip them into submission if they dare to question authority.

Answer 3

I think: people are born without evilness. Babies are innocent and are not evil. However we all have selfish desires which can be evil and if we are not taught to resist or control them we are powerless.

In other words we are not born evil and taught good nor born good and taught evil. We are born without evilness but with selfishness and desires.

IMHO.

Answer 4

i belive when we are born we have no intentions either good nor bad. some one has to teach us right from wrong. i have seen show about killers such as the green river killer and ted bundy people like them. the way they were raised in there environment was harsh and the things they saw and what the parents did to them were in no good manner at all. so i belive as they grew up the way they were taught was right for them and just expanded from there. so i think we are not born either we are taught both by are parents and other family members.

Answer 5

people are born physically and spiritually selfish.Right and wrong are learned responses. yet neither of these determine good or evil.The desire and search for truth can lead one to a greater realization of the difference between good and evil. Although that is not enough alone. It takes a basic internal change to discern between good and evil.

Answer 6

It's pretty difficult to argue either way. To remain objective, I'll say that humans are first born with a natural personality. Then their environment will either reinforce or reshape that personality.

Answer 7

First off, this is a trick question since 'Evil" is a subjective term. Case in point, Most Americans consider the Middle Eastern terrorists and their supporters evil. To those that agree with the terrorists, the terrorists themselves and those tat support them, they are heroes and a force for good.

That said, the belief that people are either born good or born evil is one of religion and/or Philosophy.

Christians general believe that people are born with Sin. (original Sin brought about by Adam and Eve.) This is not to say they are evil. Generally speaking, Christians believe that people are good, but are led astray by either 'the human condition' a.k.a. Original sin or by the Devil and his minions. This is all the result of tuning your back their lord Jesus and ultimately his Father, their god.

In most sects of Judaism, Evil is considered the result of disobedience to their gods laws, rituals and lessons as written in the Torah, Mishnah and the Talmud. This is called sin or chata in Hebrew which means to miss the mark or fall short.

In most sects of Buddhism, 'evil' really isn’t used, however, acts that could be construed as evil are the result of improper thoughts and actions. These thoughts and actions are brought about by the pursuit attachments. Buddhist believe that children are born without attachment. If you substitute one mother for another at an early age, the child is unaffected because they are not yet attached. This is why young infants adjust so well to adoption. However, overtime, attachments begin to form, first to people, then to objects, then to feelings and eventually to concepts and ideas. The more attachment, the more the risk of doing bad things to maintain the attachments. (i.e. attachment to money leads to greed, attachment to a person leads to jealousy, etc...) So from a Buddhist perspective, people are borne good and develop bad or evil traits.

Personally, I have a fairly uncommon definition of evil, so my thoughts on the subject may be a little different.

EVIL - Intentional and unrepentant ignorance*, indolence**, Gluttony+, Bigotry++ and Cowardice.#

Thus, since my definition states that evil is intentional and unrepentant, then evil can not be an inherent quality and thus you can not be born evil. I do believe that since all people can be ignorant, lazy, excessive and emotionally weak from time to time, all people are born with the propensity for evil, but that is not to say that are born evil. To be afraid is a human condition, to run from your fear is a natural reaction as is to overcome your fear. But to run from all danger simply because you don’t want to deal with the problem is cowardice and a choice that only you can male. Thus, children are not born evil but are taught to accept the lesser qualities inherent to humanity and thus become "Evil."

Conversely, I am not certain what "good" is. People talk about being good or doing good. I believe what most people are referring to are courtesies, or basic civilities. (ex. Holding a door, returning lost merchandise to the owner, telling the truth, etc...) These too are learned traits, however, the desire to please and be please is natural, thus, it is more natural then good or evil would imply. For that reason, I believe that the common expressions of good and evil are both learned behaviors, not inherent traits. The only inherent, pre-port state we have is a natural, neutral state that is neither 'good' or evil in the extreme sense of the words.

I hope this helps.

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NOTES:
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* Ignorance: The condition of being uninformed or uneducated. lacking knowledge or information
** indolence: Habitually lazy, procrastinating, or resistance to physical or mental labor.
+ Gluttony: (archaic definition) Thoughtless and unreasonable excess. (This is not limited to food and drink by could include any substance (drugs, alcohol, tobacco, etc...), sex, gambling, etc... even money! [seeking money for the sake of having money or seeking it to the exclusion of all other pursuits would be gluttonous.])
++ Bigotry: Irrational intolerance and/or disdain of others based on racial, ethnical and/or cultural differences.
#Cowardice: Lack of mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty to a reasonable level of commitment.

Answer 8

We'e born with the capacity for both good and evil, and nutured to act both selfishly and selflessly.

Answer 9

Neither,good and evil come after birth.

Answer 10

Born with both good & evil.

Selfish, yet concerned for others...right from the start. (Though, mostly selfish at the beginning.)