What is an "evil person"

[scorpia]

Or a specific type of non-believer, if you don't mind me.

So question is as the title suggests, what in your view, is an evil person? Or, if you "don't believe in evil", what kind of person would you deem, say untrustworthy?

[Furrowed Brow]

I use the word evil. But I do not imply evil is a force or an entity or supernatural in origin. I use the word to indicate by revulsion at some action or behaviour. What makes me feel revulsion? Well all the things that go together to make me what I am. Many of these will be derived from socialisation, many will derive from my personal history and accumulated experiences, and many will be genetic.

[McCulloch]

Someone who denies the worth, dignity and autonomy of each person.

Someone opposed to democracy and human rights. Someone who opposes the right of every person the freedom compatible with the rights of others.

Someone opposed to social responsibility. Someone who neglects his duty of care to all of humanity including future generations.

Someone who is dogmatic and irrational. Someone opposed to free inquiry to the problems of human welfare.

[scorpia]

What makes me feel revulsion? Well all the things that go together to make me what I am. Many of these will be derived from socialisation, many will derive from my personal history and accumulated experiences, and many will be genetic

Well what kind of person makes you feel revulsion?

Someone who denies the worth, dignity and autonomy of each person.

Someone opposed to democracy and human rights. Someone who opposes the right of every person the freedom compatible with the rights of others.

Someone opposed to social responsibility. Someone who neglects his duty of care to all of humanity including future generations.

Someone who is dogmatic and irrational. Someone opposed to free inquiry to the problems of human welfare.

Some of these could apply to just about everybody. And I don't wish to accuse you of accusing but are you aware of that?

Does it matter why such people are the way they are?

[Furrowed Brow]

Well what kind of person makes you feel revulsion?

Many things. It is difficult to generalise. Here’s a few examples, and then I’ll try to offer some general points.

The worst thing in recent memory that I’ve seen is a video of a beheading of A Russian soldier in Chechnya. War is war. People get killed. But there was an unnecessary glee and pleasure being taken in this obscene act. There was also a self consciousness to it. Evidenced by the filming and distribution of the film.

A recent court case in the UK found a wife guilty of steeling her husbands injury payout. He had been severely paralysed and had received a large court settlement intended to pay for his future care. His wife had embezzled the money and spent it on herself and her lover, leaving her husband penniless.

Paedophilia.

What do these examples share in common. I think the perpetrators use others as objects of their own gratifications, or a means to their own gratifications. In each case harm is done to a victim. This harm either does not register on the consciousness of the perpetrator, or may even be the point. Each of these cases are also abuses of power.

[scorpia]

What do these examples share in common. I think the perpetrators use others as objects of their own gratifications, or a means to their own gratifications. In each case harm is done to a victim. This harm either does not register on the consciousness of the perpetrator, or may even be the point. Each of these cases are also abuses of power.

But why do such people need such gratication/ power?

And what if one of these people changed their behaviour? Would they still be considered "evil?"

[McCulloch]

Some of these could apply to just about everybody. And I don't wish to accuse you of accusing but are you aware of that?

Yes, evil is not what other people are. We all have the capacity for evil. Some of us in small ways others in larger ways. It is only a matter of degree.

[Confused]

To me, it is nothing more than the oppression of humanity by means of physical or psychological methods.

[Furrowed Brow]

What do these examples share in common. I think the perpetrators use others as objects of their own gratifications, or a means to their own gratifications. In each case harm is done to a victim. This harm either does not register on the consciousness of the perpetrator, or may even be the point. Each of these cases are also abuses of power.

But why do such people need such gratication/ power?

DNA, society, personal history, personality disorders, Quantum fluctuations?

And what if one of these people changed their behaviour? Would they still be considered "evil?"

I don't think people are "evil". They just do evil things sometimes. And some people do evil things on a reoccurring basis. However I do not think it is a matter of evil behaviour management. Chemically castrating a paedophile does not negate that person fermenting evil plans, or understanding the evil they have done in the past. I also think some things once done cannot be undone. The head of that poor Russian soldier cannot be put back. So certain actions I believe can define a life, and from which the perpetrator can never escape their personal responsibility. Unless of course they are a sociopath.

[Furrowed Brow]

What do these examples share in common. I think the perpetrators use others as objects of their own gratifications, or a means to their own gratifications. In each case harm is done to a victim. This harm either does not register on the consciousness of the perpetrator, or may even be the point. Each of these cases are also abuses of power.

But why do such people need such gratication/ power?

DNA, society, personal history, personality disorders, Quantum fluctuations?

And what if one of these people changed their behaviour? Would they still be considered "evil?"

I don't think people are "evil". They just do evil things sometimes. And some people do evil things on a reoccurring basis. However I do not think it is a matter of evil behaviour management. Chemically castrating a paedophile does not negate that person fermenting evil plans, or understanding the evil they have done in the past. I also think some things once done cannot be undone. The head of that poor Russian soldier cannot be put back. So certain actions I believe can define a life, and from which the perpetrator can never escape their personal responsibility. Unless of course they are a sociopath.