What is good and what is evil?

Answer 1

Good and evil are an ethical, social or moral ordering of decisions. Given a menu of alternatives, those that are preferred are good and those that aren't preferred are evil.

Where do we find ethical, social or moral orderings? We find them in culture, law, nature and religion. Are they "relative" or "objective"? They are more relative in practice that those who believe in an objective order would want to admit and social codes are more universal than moral relativists would admit to. There are plenty of theist and atheist arguments for the existance of a moral order of goods and evils. People find it repulsive to beat children, rape people and torture animals among other things. People find love, friendship and generosity universally desirable.

Answer 2

And what is good, Phaedrus,
And what is not good---
Need we ask anyone to tell us these things?
— Robert Pirsig, Zen & Art Of Motorcycle Maintenance

You might want to check out Wikipedia's exhaustive explanation of "Good & Evil": http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Good_and_evil

"In religion, ethics, and philosophy, the phrase, good and evil refers to the evaluation of objects, desires, and behaviors across a dualistic spectrum —wherein in one direction are those aspects which are morally positive, and the other are morally negative. The good is sometimes viewed as whatever entails reverence towards either life, continuity, happiness, or human flourishing, while evil is given to be the support for their opposites."

Answer 3

A good example of good is Stephen Lewis. An example of evil is Adolf Hitler. Most people are between these two people on a moral point of view. More people should help Stephen Lewis in his aid of young children with Aids in South Africa. Send only what you can; even a loonie will help.

Answer 4

For me good is compassion, giving of myself to better another's situation, working toward positive goals and change. I feel the touch of evil when I turn my back on someone I should have helped, let my inhibitions overtake my better judgement as to my actions.

Answer 5

Good-Love, animals, family etc. Evil-McDonald's

Answer 6

Subjective illusions.
Its all relative so there is no true good or evil.

Answer 7

Good- making people happy
Evil- making people suffer

Good-making people feel good about themselves
Evil- making people feel like crap

Good- standing your ground to improve people's quality of life
Evil- maintaining status quo just because it will be too much hard work to improve things

Answer 8

Good & bad are alike conciderations and have no other value than opinion. Eg:Say a man is killing a child,you go up shoot him thus stoping him-.Good,you & I agree.Lets look at it from his viewpoint-Bad

Answer 9

Arbitrary ascertations of actions that work for or against your aims and the aims of your friends/family

Answer 10

good is when you help others and evil is when you destroy things that should not be disturbed.