Philosophy: People born good or evil?

People are born evil. They must learn to be good.

First off, one has to look beyond the major 'black and white' limitations of those two terms.

But okay, if you can manage to do that, unless somebody has particular religious views that say otherwise, I don't understand how anybody can start off as "good" or "evil."

Somebody can only be called "evil" if their actions are morally depraved or "good" if their actions are righteous and ethical. Those labels require something to have been done.

A creature that is born hasn't done anything; therefore, it can't be called neither.

Originally posted by Dr. Leg Kick
i say evil, because if their was no obedience, people would be wild animals.

Well that depends, do you think wild animals to be evil? I don't necessarily view survival instinct as evil. You really wouldn't have a concept of good or evil unless someone told you. But if I had to lean a certain way, I would say that you would be born good since you really wouldn't have any real knowledge of what is evil. I mean doing act to me means doing something you know is wrong just because you wanted to, or for some type of pleasure.

And a newborn would have any real knowledge of what is good?

No but obviously that wouldn't be doing anything evil. I was simply stating if I had to lean one way which was the point of this thread right?

Hmm, not doing anything unrighteous doesn't mean you are being righteous.

And yes, you are right, the thread topic asks you to lean one way. My apologies.

I think the poll should have included "Neither" because that really is a legitimate (and to me, the true answer) response.

It's all good. I agree completely that it's neither, but given the options, the complete lack of evil actions would lean me towards people being born good. It wouldn't be until a person grew up that evil actions would enter their mind.

Originally posted by Korto Vos
Hmm, not doing anything unrighteous doesn't mean you are being righteous.

And yes, you are right, the thread topic asks you to lean one way. My apologies.

I think the poll should have included "Neither" because that really is a legitimate (and to me, the true answer) response.

Also,i guess you could have went with the not sure response. 😄

Sinners are Saints and Saints are Sinners

And fun toys are fun.

The people are evil. They steal, lie, cheat, kill, and rob others. No man or woman really desire to assist others. Some people are just plain stupid, whereas they just know how to hog things.

The people are not that bright. Noboby really knows anything. If they have a chance to steal something, they would do it in a heart beat.

There are good people who lead the world and act as unselfish ones. It's hard to survive in America if there aren't good people around. The good people assist others, and make earth a nice place to live. Special men exist to control things and keep the peace.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u88lYs4FMTY&feature=share

All things manifest the ten worlds, including us humans.

We're born scared.

This thread assumes the existence of good and evil.

I would say selfish. Most people havent understood that giving comes back. They believe that taking will get them what they want, but in the long end, when everybody is doing that, we as a society loses.

It, has for the most part, become a planet of scared takers. I say scared because if people were not scared then there wouldnt be any reason to exploit or take from others.

Babies have been found to reward good behavior shown in puppets and punish evil behavior shown in puppets. So they do generally have some manner of morality or good|evil instinctive judgement.

Though there are likely individuals with faulty mechanisms who would in turn be not as good or evil.

you guys will like this
BBC Horizon - What makes us good or evil? (1/4)

http://youtu.be/u88lYs4FMTY

i think people are born to survive at almost any cost, first and foremost. (looking out for one's self, especially when things are bad) and that's where possibility the seeds of good and evil are hatched, if such a thing as good and evil exists in the first place, that is. it doesn't exist in the animal kingdom. but w/e.

then after that, pass on their genes and sort of ensuring it happens. and there's another oppertunity for good and evil to take place.

so i think humans are born with it inately because these are not learned process. but survival mechanisms.

Originally posted by FistOfThe North
i think people are born to survive at almost any cost, first and foremost. (looking out for one's self, especially when things are bad) and that's where possibility the seeds of good and evil are hatched, if such a thing as good and evil exists in the first place, that is. it doesn't exist in the animal kingdom. but w/e.

then after that, pass on their genes and sort of ensuring it happens. and there's another oppertunity for good and evil to take place.

so i think humans are born with it inately because these are not learned process. but survival mechanisms.

Sure good and evil exists in the animal kingdom. A lion kills a ghazal. For the Lion the act is good, but for the ghazal, the act is evil. Good and evil are relative, not absolute.