Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Good v. Evil

For centuries, people have been debating the “nature of man”. The basic question is…are humans naturally evil or good? Philosophers like Confucius believed that people are inherently good natured and should work towards the greater benefit of society. John Locke concurred, offering his “blank slate” philosophy. According to Locke, humans are born without innate (inborn) ideas and are generally good natured. Conversely, philosophers such as Laozi and Thomas Hobbes believe that humans are naturally evil and they must be placed under strict legal control in order to maintain stability and peace.
What do you think? How are humans born? Are we naturally good or are we born wicked with criminal desire? What makes us who we are?

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

I think that people are born good, but there are things in the world that make them bad. Things like money and material possessions create jealousy and greed. Even if people are naturally good, the fact that some people have more than others creates problems.

nifty said...

every body is evil that is why the earth is going to die from our own poison

Thug said...

We are neither born good nor bad, just like the fact that we aren't born with innate ideas. Society and how you grow up influences your ideas. This creates problems.Nifty the glass is half full , not half empty. You are pesimist.

Thrifty said...

I think it is a mixture of nurture v. nature. Some things you are born with, possibly mental deficiencies or a predisposition for heart disease. But much of what you become is based on your up bringing. For example, if your parents are liberal, you will be liberal. If your parents are ultra religious, you will grown up and be religious. If your parents think that stealing is okay, and taking advantage of people is okay, you will probably have that clouded moral judgment. However, if you have people around you helping to teach you, maybe you’ll end up okay.

Hi Sky said...

I don't people are born good or evil. We are born...nothing! But when we are nothing we look out at our surroundings and take up that. Like if a babbies parents are greddy, the babby would probably grow up greddy.

Pink Bird said...

I think we become bad or evil as we grow. if you are nasty to friends and family, eventually will become nasty to everyone. If you are just absolutly nice to people, you probably will end up being nice to every one. That is only my opinion though. i could be wrong.

happy bunny said...

I think that people are evil. And if WE don't fix the problem the Earth WILL.

Loveisbrokenforme said...

I cannot handle this world.Everyone has a bit of evil in them.It will never go away.I miss heaven.

purple girl said...

All people are born good, but if you do something bad in life, you will turn bad. Almost anything can made you bad or good, so be careful in life. Always:)

Hollisterhalston said...

Every person has a "dark" side and so far evil overcomes good when we don't even know

birdie said...

all people are born good. How they are rasied makes a big differnce. People today are in love with money and they can turn on their own friends and family just to have it. I myself try to stay pure but money and power can get the best of people.

Anonymous said...

People are evil from the very beginning. Theres no avoiding it. We are greedy, possesive beings that defied GOd and chose sin for knowledge.

Anonymous said...

People are evil because they choose to be. Just like we choose the fruit of knowledge and rebelled against God.

Anonymous said...

Men are essentialy evel, they have no compassion for anybody else, unless it leads to personal gain. People only cooperate with eachother, because of the belief that they will either better themselves by donig so, or that they will worsen their lives by no cooperating.

pimp gangsta said...

People are born nutral to good and evil, based on what there surroundings are and their education that they recive people become either good or evil. my friend is evil

Anonymous said...
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heyuguys said...

i think that the vision of good and evil is a sterotype and it is a prospective, but people are taught to be evil or good by movies & ideas

happy bunny said...

I think that people are born good but then jealosy and money$$$ ruin their good reputation.

yoo egedy, mannnn said...

i think the things you do and have done to you all make u who u r and if bad things happen to u, u arnt very stable and turn out bad! i think if ur treated right u end up being good!

other said...

it depends on how u are raised.

nmbskier said...

I think that people are born good. For example, the person might learn what a gun is. It depends on how you use the gun to make you good or evil. In conclusion, I think that people are born good and could POSSIBLY turn evil when they USE a harful object.

Anonymous said...

I think people are born with a blank slate, just like john locke. Their kind of nuetral they can go either way. Then the variables in your life that you either over come or die from is what makes you good or bad. I strongly agree with locke!