Redefining Good & Evil

[Nogrod]

I'm in a hurry as well but just couldn't help commenting on this one.

Originally Posted by Pitchwife

Sorry for philosophical nitpicking, but this is a perfect example of thought stumbling into the pitfalls of language. Just because 'good' can be used as a noun in most European languages, we tend to think of it as a thing or entity of some sort that 'exists' and, because it exists, must be 'made' by somebody; but good is nothing that exists, its just what we do - and so is evil.

Exactly! There is also the way we tend to "ontologize" linguistic / conceptual differentiations (the difference between these two would call for a dissertation - many of which have been made already, beginning at least from the middle-ages).

Like we talk of different species of animals. But are there really "species" in the world in itself or are species just a way we conseptualise / talk about the variety of animals we find around us?

I'd be careful with saying that "good" (or "bad" to that matter) is something that exists as such in the universe, but I would say - following Pitchwife - that good is something we do and which defines us as human beings as a behaviour...