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Psychoactive1984
PositiveCynicist
Registered: 02/06/05
Posts: 3,546
Loc: California, Monterey Coun...
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What is good? What is bad?
#4146336 - 05/07/05 12:40 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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Seeing as how these two terms are so frequently tossed around this area of the forums... I thought it would be a good idea to have a clear definition as to what truly is good, and what is truly bad in a more definitive general stance.
Any ideas for general definitions that anyone would accept are welcome. I'm not thinking in terms of morality, but what is good/bad in respects to situations, and why it is percieved as such.
-------------------- "Their is one overriding question that concerns us all: How can we get out of the fatal groove we are in, the one that is leading towards the brink?" Albert Szent-Gyorgyi "We may not be capable of eradicating the corruption of reason, but we must nevertheless counter it at every instance and with every means." Dan Agin "Politics is the best religion and politicians are the worst followers." -It's ok to trip as long as you don't fall. -Substance over Style. -Common sense is uncommon.
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dorkus
Registered: 04/12/04
Posts: 1,511
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Post deleted by dorkus
Reason for deletion: .
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Psychoactive1984
PositiveCynicist
Registered: 02/06/05
Posts: 3,546
Loc: California, Monterey Coun...
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Re: What is good? What is bad? [Re: dorkus]
#4146501 - 05/07/05 01:05 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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Still not much of a precise definition though. I'm looking for an objective definition, yet is based on subjectivty in regards to the outcome of the thought regarding good/bad. As more often then not, we refer to that which is good/bad in this forum, although it's relatively meaningless as it's implication is reliant on subjective factors of the good/bad.
-------------------- "Their is one overriding question that concerns us all: How can we get out of the fatal groove we are in, the one that is leading towards the brink?" Albert Szent-Gyorgyi "We may not be capable of eradicating the corruption of reason, but we must nevertheless counter it at every instance and with every means." Dan Agin "Politics is the best religion and politicians are the worst followers." -It's ok to trip as long as you don't fall. -Substance over Style. -Common sense is uncommon.
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MovingTarget
Registered: 10/04/04
Posts: 4,825
Loc: temporary
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Re: What is good? What is bad? [Re: dorkus]
#4146522 - 05/07/05 01:09 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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Good and bad exists no where outside of our minds.
How many times have you seenm a good act done for no other reason that the praise. Even anonymous good acts will make the culprit feel better.
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 95,368
Loc: underbelly
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Silly question. The only thing I can say is, I am good and you are...
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 95,368
Loc: underbelly
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And on a less serious note You would have to know the mind of the universe and all that is, to answer that question. Too many variables for the finite mind.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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dorkus
Registered: 04/12/04
Posts: 1,511
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Re: What is good? What is bad? *DELETED* [Re: MovingTarget]
#4146601 - 05/07/05 01:20 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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Post deleted by dorkus
Reason for deletion: .
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exclusive58
illegal alien
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2,146
Last seen: 6 years, 21 days
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Re: What is good? What is bad? [Re: dorkus]
#4146730 - 05/07/05 01:42 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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Well, first of all, good and bad only arise from the human mind, and nowhere else. For example you can't say that a lion killing its prey is bad, because there was no morality involved in the act, and good vs. bad is a question of morality, which is purely human. Therefore, good or bad can only come from humans themselves, given that there are others around to judge if one's actions are good or bad.
Now, the hard thing, and quite unnescessary if you ask me, is to find out if one's judgement of what's good or what's bad is a reasonable judgement. In the absolute, it's impossible to find out.
With that in mind, I think that the closest you can come to figuring out if something is good or bad, is to ask yourself.."What if everyone acted that way, would it have a positive outcome or a negative one?".
This way, you can rationaly come to the conclusion that throwing trash out of your car's window is something bad, because if everyone did the same thing, the result would be catastrophic...
You reminded me of a little Zen story that describes how its really hard to tell good from bad, and how one shouldn't be so quick at making a judgement. Check out new posts...
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Psychoactive1984
PositiveCynicist
Registered: 02/06/05
Posts: 3,546
Loc: California, Monterey Coun...
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Re: What is good? What is bad? [Re: exclusive58]
#4146746 - 05/07/05 01:44 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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that's more in the lines of what I'm looking for.
Of course the human element is necessary in an evaluation of what is good/bad because it solely arises for them. I was just looking for a more definite connotation of both, as often when many use good and bad in this forum, neither is applicable as good/bad aren't applied in a universal way.
-------------------- "Their is one overriding question that concerns us all: How can we get out of the fatal groove we are in, the one that is leading towards the brink?" Albert Szent-Gyorgyi "We may not be capable of eradicating the corruption of reason, but we must nevertheless counter it at every instance and with every means." Dan Agin "Politics is the best religion and politicians are the worst followers." -It's ok to trip as long as you don't fall. -Substance over Style. -Common sense is uncommon.
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Icelander
The Minstrel in the Gallery
Registered: 03/15/05
Posts: 95,368
Loc: underbelly
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Re: What is good? What is bad? [Re: exclusive58]
#4147084 - 05/07/05 02:47 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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This way, you can rationaly come to the conclusion that throwing trash out of your car's window is something bad, because if everyone did the same thing, the result would be catastrophic...
____________________________________________________________________
But all that trash could sop up all the nuclear waste seeping up from underground.
-------------------- "Don't believe everything you think". -Anom. " All that lives was born to die"-Anom. With much wisdom comes much sorrow, The more knowledge, the more grief. Ecclesiastes circa 350 BC
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OldWoodSpecter
waiting
Registered: 02/01/05
Posts: 4,033
Loc: mountains and lakes
Last seen: 17 years, 5 months
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Quote:
Psychoactive1984 said: Seeing as how these two terms are so frequently tossed around this area of the forums... I thought it would be a good idea to have a clear definition as to what truly is good, and what is truly bad in a more definitive general stance.
Any ideas for general definitions that anyone would accept are welcome. I'm not thinking in terms of morality, but what is good/bad in respects to situations, and why it is percieved as such.
good and bad has everything to do with society and human interactions, as well as interaction with everything else that is living
Good leads to planetary wide (for now) social harmony, and bad leads to social conflict, pain and destruction
Harmony is good because everyone benefits, conflict is bad becase some benefit only
Morality is all about wheather ones actions and ways could be used as global planetary everyday practice and how would such habits influence harmony and growth, both material, natural, ecological, intellectual, spiritual etc.
-------------------- I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine
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OldWoodSpecter
waiting
Registered: 02/01/05
Posts: 4,033
Loc: mountains and lakes
Last seen: 17 years, 5 months
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Re: What is good? What is bad? [Re: exclusive58]
#4147208 - 05/07/05 03:05 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
exclusive58 said: Well, first of all, good and bad only arise from the human mind, and nowhere else. For example you can't say that a lion killing its prey is bad, because there was no morality involved in the act, and good vs. bad is a question of morality, which is purely human. Therefore, good or bad can only come from humans themselves, given that there are others around to judge if one's actions are good or bad.
Now, the hard thing, and quite unnescessary if you ask me, is to find out if one's judgement of what's good or what's bad is a reasonable judgement. In the absolute, it's impossible to find out.
With that in mind, I think that the closest you can come to figuring out if something is good or bad, is to ask yourself.."What if everyone acted that way, would it have a positive outcome or a negative one?".
This way, you can rationaly come to the conclusion that throwing trash out of your car's window is something bad, because if everyone did the same thing, the result would be catastrophic...
You reminded me of a little Zen story that describes how its really hard to tell good from bad, and how one shouldn't be so quick at making a judgement. Check out new posts...
A lion is no different from a meat grinder, it is a beast that does its stuff with no mind to it, it does not have any flexibility nor does it know what it is doing, same goes for its prays what you see is not a murder, but a dance of flesh machines In society murder is possible because one has the choice not to do it unless his biology dictates it (strong injections of hormons, passion crime, insanity)
-------------------- I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine
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exclusive58
illegal alien
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2,146
Last seen: 6 years, 21 days
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exactly, except biology doesn't dictate anyone, unless one is mentally disabled or something. Otherwise, you always have a choice...
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OldWoodSpecter
waiting
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Posts: 4,033
Loc: mountains and lakes
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Re: What is good? What is bad? [Re: exclusive58]
#4147280 - 05/07/05 03:15 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
exclusive58 said: exactly, except biology doesn't dictate anyone, unless one is mentally disabled or something. Otherwise, you always have a choice...
not always, as some say "everyone has a price" (i dissagree by the way) I say "everyone has a dose"
I put enough hormones into your blood you will be on a killing spree
Maybe you'd get a heart attack before you got to kill anyone, but the wish to do it would have to appear
-------------------- I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine
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OldWoodSpecter
waiting
Registered: 02/01/05
Posts: 4,033
Loc: mountains and lakes
Last seen: 17 years, 5 months
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Re: What is good? What is bad? [Re: exclusive58]
#4147281 - 05/07/05 03:15 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
exclusive58 said: exactly, except biology doesn't dictate anyone, unless one is mentally disabled or something. Otherwise, you always have a choice...
not always, as some say "everyone has a price" (i dissagree by the way) I say "everyone has a dose"
I put enough hormones into your blood you will be on a killing spree
Maybe you'd get a heart attack before you got to kill anyone, but the wish to do it would have to appear
-------------------- I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine
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exclusive58
illegal alien
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2,146
Last seen: 6 years, 21 days
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I disagree, if I'm going to go on a killing spree, I'm going to make the choice of doing so. The hormones might have some influence on which choice i make, but in the absolute, I, me, my mind, my spirit whatever, is going to have the final say. Not the hormones.
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OldWoodSpecter
waiting
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Posts: 4,033
Loc: mountains and lakes
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Re: What is good? What is bad? [Re: exclusive58]
#4147334 - 05/07/05 03:23 PM (18 years, 10 months ago) |
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Quote:
exclusive58 said: I disagree, if I'm going to go on a killing spree, I'm going to make the choice of doing so. The hormones might have some influence on which choice i make, but in the absolute, I, me, my mind, my spirit whatever, is going to have the final say. Not the hormones.
oh come one, I'm talking 10% of your blood filled with a liquit telling you: kill him, tear his skin off, eat his eyeballs, make him suffer
your are a semi-automatic weapon, you do have choice but it is limited
you said it yourself that a retard can not control himself, well with enough chemicals you become a retard too
What if I put wires in your spine that control your body movements through nerves, bypassing your conscious mind, well a strong hormonal reaction is no different from that, you, your conscious mind as you know it know is bypassed, you then become that from which you have risen in the first place, an animal with no consciousness of self.
-------------------- I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine
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Psychoactive1984
PositiveCynicist
Registered: 02/06/05
Posts: 3,546
Loc: California, Monterey Coun...
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Quote:
OldWoodSpecter said:
Quote:
Psychoactive1984 said: Seeing as how these two terms are so frequently tossed around this area of the forums... I thought it would be a good idea to have a clear definition as to what truly is good, and what is truly bad in a more definitive general stance.
Any ideas for general definitions that anyone would accept are welcome. I'm not thinking in terms of morality, but what is good/bad in respects to situations, and why it is perceived as such.
good and bad has everything to do with society and human interactions, as well as interaction with everything else that is living
Good leads to planetary wide (for now) social harmony, and bad leads to social conflict, pain and destruction
Harmony is good because everyone benefits, conflict is bad because some benefit only
Morality is all about whether ones actions and ways could be used as global planetary everyday practice and how would such habits influence harmony and growth, both material, natural, ecological, intellectual, spiritual etc.
Is it possible to give a more definitive answer to the nature of what is good and bad beyond these generalizations?
Or are we indelibly tied to loose definitions who's applications/approaches could be suspected of being the converse provided the consequences aren't the intentions.?
-------------------- "Their is one overriding question that concerns us all: How can we get out of the fatal groove we are in, the one that is leading towards the brink?" Albert Szent-Gyorgyi "We may not be capable of eradicating the corruption of reason, but we must nevertheless counter it at every instance and with every means." Dan Agin "Politics is the best religion and politicians are the worst followers." -It's ok to trip as long as you don't fall. -Substance over Style. -Common sense is uncommon.
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exclusive58
illegal alien
Registered: 04/16/04
Posts: 2,146
Last seen: 6 years, 21 days
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first, i don't think there exists such a hormone?
then , as you said, i sill have a choice, no matter how limited it is.
If i'm going to become a semi-automatic weapon, that means that i'll give into what these hormones push me to do, that means that i'll go "oh fine, control me, hormones".
I guess that its a question of "power of will" or "self-control" or whatver.
No wire is going to tell my conscious mind what to do. It can ask it or persuade it to do something, but it won't be able to force it.
Humanity's greatest gift is that of free will.
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OldWoodSpecter
waiting
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I don't know why everyone is expecting some universal definition of good and bad. If you want definition of abstract things such as that, its comming from mans mind. Where else is it supose to come from? Some god that nobody believes in anyway? Or aliens? Or maybe is it supose to be written on stones? Or maybe is it supose to be a vision while on an acid trip?
good and bad and morality are things that concern people and people only, so they come out of peoples minds
-------------------- I descend upon your earth from the skies I command your very souls you unbelievers Bring before me what is mine
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