(3) Are some things or events inherently evil in themselves?

By Peter Rutanga <wung32@hotmail.com>

Evil is an inconsistent notion, which is exclusively influenced by our desires. Consequently, objects and events cannot be inherently evil in themselves, but rather defined as such following the stipulations of our desires.

Indeed, in our world of expectations, we tend to qualify most things we desire as good. But these qualifications emerge uniquely from our personal interests and aspirations. Therefore, anything that does not surrender to these interests inevitably falls in the category of the negative. In that perspective, the worst events going against our desires takes on the name of evil.
Needless to say, these denominations show very little consistency from person to person. For example, killing obviously goes against an [assumed] desire to live, and is therefore considered evil. But what if we didn’t wish to live? Would it still be evil?

Too often we mistakenly consider evil as an independent divine force, while it’s really a creation of our own minds. We – human beings- define the very meaning of evil and the things or events we associate it with.

Anyway we look at it, it’s impossible to define evil as a consistent concept. If desire triggers evil, and personal aspirations differ from person to person, we can’t rightly define evil as a universal concept, and in turn we’re certainly not able to claim any objects or events as inherently evil.

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Christa Ryan <christaryan@yahoo.com>

an interesting look at the idea of evilness...I would like to mention that we may not forget to look at social norms and laws that govern us daily....governmental laws, religion, and moral values to name a few...evil is very consistent in most of our laws and would be very hard not to define evil as universal because "most" of what determines what is right and wrong is universal..


Anna C. Nance <eirendel@yahoo.com>

Someone once said that nothing is good or evil but htinking makes it so. I think you are both right.


Fran Sanders <FranSanders@hotmail.com>

I think your paper was a very good one. You pointed out great things for good and evil.


Eric Howell <grayghost13@hotmail.com>

I rather enjoyed your paper. I thought you made a good point about what the definition of true evil is and what it is not, even with what is universaly evil.


Woody Moore <wouldhe@inetgenesis.com>

Great essay! Realy injoyed reading it. I thought you made some insightful conclusions.


shaun cutler <cutlershaun@hotmail.com>

this paper was very well written and I actually enjoyed reading it. your thought were coherent and concise and you point was well taken.


shaun cutler <cutlershaun@hotmail.com>

this paper was very well written and I actually enjoyed reading it. your thought were coherent and concise and you point was well taken.


shaun cutler <cutlershaun@hotmail.com>

this paper was very well written and I actually enjoyed reading it. your thought were coherent and concise and you point was well taken.


J.W. Preston <Wednesday@emeraldis.com>

Enjoyable essay. It pointed out what is Good in the Garden of Evil!


Will Bond <wbond@meta-net.net>

This paper is very interesting. For me, after reading it, I saw the mankind's evil in a new light.


Dowd <rdowd @lander.student.edu>

Suppose I am desiring to mutilate myself because of some wanton depression. Mutilation of my body is construed as something other than good by other eyes perceiving it, but that doesn't make it evil either. I think good and evil are only ideas, and those ideas ideas are independant of one another. But you do point out that our desires are tempered by our own perceptions, so perhaps in the end, there are no good and evil actions. There are just actions that are perceived by an individual as something good or evil.


Rick Miller (master of the universe) <rellimin@hotmail.com>

I was rather impressed. I enjoyed the comment you made about killing and whether it would be evil if we didn't want to live. That was quite an interesting viewpoint.


brian nettles <ned_creeper>

Type Your Comment Here Excellant paper.Unique way at looking at evil.


brian nettles <ned_creeper>

Type Your Comment Here Excellant paper.Unique way at looking at evil.


Travis Galloway <hyperdedo@hotmail.com>

I found your paper extremely interesting. You had a lot to say and presented well... good work ace


Tiffany Norton <TiffNorton@Hotmail.com>

This paper was very well-written. It flows better and makes much more sense than the last one I read. You make many interesting points.


Will Mulkey <wrmulkey@hotmail.com>

Nice paper! I think Dr. Jack Kevorkian wouldn't mind the government taking notice of your question on people wishing to die.


Richele Skelton <skelton@emeraldis.com>

I thought that it was a really good paper. I agree with you, and for the greater good all we have to believe that things are not inherently evil.


Scott Elingburg <kehoutek@hotmail.com>

A very insightful paper with some extremely valid points. I believe the concept of evil is defined by our desires. After all, would we all not steal if we were hungry? or Kill if our lives were threatened? Evilness exists only in our minds and is shaped by our wants and desires.


10-27-00 <Topic Closed>

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