I just can't seem to picture how something can magically manifest into evil. Everything is all about the human interpretation. If we were living on a planet with 7+ billion cannibals then eating other humans will be normal, not evil. its all about the perception of the democracy.
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I suppose that would require us understanding what the basic function of morality is... my guess is, it's a mechanism for keeping social-order [duh moment]... but if you think evolutionarily; well social-order is a more effective strategy for survival compared to being combative with others [unless it's a survival situation which is why even good people can do 'bad' under desperation].
So if we assume that the idea of morality is to create social-order, the idea that eating other people would be 'right' just wouldn't add up.
Otherwise, if there is no reason to be moral, then there is no point having a morality in the first place?
If anyone interpretation of morality makes it moral then it's self-defeating?
I of course don't assume to know the answer to this on going philosophical dilemma but these are some of my pontifications on the subject
It SEEMS to me that certain moral perspectives are more effective and beneficial to social-order than others.
I see where you're coming from though,
I imagine the small percentage of people whom are purely evil are the psychopaths [and potentially sociopaths] but more so psychopaths who generally feel pleasure at the suffering of others....
But most of the evil in the world we deal with is 'good people' excusing their 'goodness' as a justification for doing 'bad' things.
Always a pleasure to contemplate these things and be challenged on it.
Actually it does. The reason cannibalism prevailed in some cultures was because people saw that it empowered them. In times where food was scarce (humans were mostly scavengers) eating fresh meat did give them more energy. I also mentioned Inuits in the example that eat their babies in case of a harsh winter.
If the planet was really hard to live then cannibalism would be perfectly moral. Morality is almost always bound to environmental constituents.
psychopathy might be a circular condition. those who have been abused or suffered a lot, simply turn off. (form of existential pathology)
Makes sense, I suppose in that regard morality evolves, but your point earlier would need an additional statement which is... are these 7 billion cannibals living in our environment or some environment of the past?
interesting point about cannibalism as well as environmental factors contributing to what is moral.