Prove what good and evil are

[Achilles6129]

What are good and evil? Please supply proof. Thanks.

 

[Ken-1122]

What are good and evil? Please supply proof. Thanks.

Good and evil are judgment calls people make about the actions we observe.

Ken

 

[Gene2memE]

Agree with the above.

Good and evil are conceptual labels human apply to our actions, the actions of others and the outcomes of both. They are not things, they are concepts, or properties.

I'm not sure I could provide 'proof' of this without writing a full paper on human psychology and cognitive linguistics.

 

[Nithavela]

They are words. They have the meaning that people ascribe to them, as it is with all words.

 

[Job8]

They are words. They have the meaning that people ascribe to them, as it is with all words.

If *good* and *evil*were just words we could simply dismiss their existence. But they are not just words. Whatever brings a benefit (material, physical, emotional, or spiritual) to another is good, whereas whatever brings harm to another is evil. Another way to look at this is to see that whatever comes from God is good, whereas whatever comes from Satan is evil.

 

[Nithavela]

If *good* and *evil*were just words we could simply dismiss their existence. But they are not just words. Whatever brings a benefit (material, physical, emotional, or spiritual) to another is good, whereas whatever brings harm to another is evil. Another way to look at this is to see that whatever comes from God is good, whereas whatever comes from Satan is evil.

Your definition is lacking. Say I steal a hundred dollars from you. It brings benefit to me but harms you. So it is what? Neutral, because the benefit and the harm are equal?

What if I give it to a poor man, like robin hood? What if I donate it to Donald Trump?

 

[quatona]

What are good and evil? Please supply proof. Thanks.

You´re challenging your fellow moral objectivists? Now, that´s courageous!

 

[quatona]

If *good* and *evil*were just words we could simply dismiss their existence.

I find it next to impossible to dismiss the existence of words.

 

[Nithavela]

I find it next to impossible to dismiss the existence of words.

Shows that you're not trying hard enough.

 

[quatona]

If *good* and *evil*were just words we could simply dismiss their existence. But they are not just words. Whatever brings a benefit (material, physical, emotional, or spiritual) to another is good, whereas whatever brings harm to another is evil. Another way to look at this is to see that whatever comes from God is good, whereas whatever comes from Satan is evil.

Hey, the OP asked you to prove this.

 

[Eudaimonist]

What are good and evil? Please supply proof. Thanks.

What sort of goalposts are you setting up?


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Ken-1122]

If *good* and *evil*were just words we could simply dismiss their existence.

No, as long as there are actions, there will always be words to describe them. The only way good and evil will be dismissed is if other words are used to replace them

Ken

 

[Ken-1122]

If *good* and *evil*were just words we could simply dismiss their existence.

No, as long as there are actions, there will always be words to describe them. The only way good and evil will be dismissed is if other words are used to replace them

Ken

 

[Achilles6129]

What sort of goalposts are you setting up?


eudaimonia,

Mark

You set the goalposts. Just supply proof for what you're saying.

 

[Eudaimonist]

You set the goalposts. Just supply proof for what you're saying.

The requirements of proof are the goalposts I mean. How would you know that I had succeeded?


eudaimonia,

Mark

 

[Hieronymus]

Wasn't there a topic like this a while back?
The question is proof of moral poverty i.m.o.

 

[Achilles6129]

The requirements of proof are the goalposts I mean. How would you know that I had succeeded?


eudaimonia,

Mark

Excellent question. I suppose I would have to judge based upon the evidence that you had presented. I will say, however, that I think it's something that's impossible to prove.

 

[Achilles6129]

You´re challenging your fellow moral objectivists? Now, that´s courageous!

To my knowledge I've never said you can prove what good and evil are. I've talked about reasonable belief but I never said anything was proven.

 

[quatona]

To my knowledge I've never said you can prove what good and evil are. I've talked about reasonable belief but I never said anything was proven.

I didn´t say you did. I said you were challenging your fellow moral objectivists to prove it.

 

[Achilles6129]

Let me ask this question, since many in this forum believe that God is evil: how do you prove that God is evil?