The inverse of the greatest good for an individual perhaps = to suffer
alone, isolated, trapped. In a utilitarian sense it might be what is
worst for the greatest number, and a nod toward expanded temporal aspects.
I am not sure there is an 'evil' outside human experience. Ultimately
'evils' might delineate by necessity as effects of nature's causes, and
if nature lends little distinction between good and evil we are left
with the 'greatest evil for ...' As nature is no measure of mercy,
outside human values the term may vaporize. In that sense I would think:
The greatest of evils/goods is to exist, and the greatest evil/good
itself is existence. Still, that is not an acceptable answer to this
question.
If I were to consider 'evilness' as outside the perceptions of suffering
and ignorance of man I think it would be in the form of great waste.
That too is unacceptable, as it lends little definition or meaning to
the evils experienced. I do not see a way to inspect the question
without taking values into account, and so return to the original
individual experience.
That is not to say the consequences of belief in evil are limited to
that. If one were aware of such a thing as evil itself one probably
wouldn't speak of it at least for the sake of children. Who wants to be
known for killing Santa?
On 2/2/2010 12:19 PM, Pat wrote:
On 2 Feb, 12:26, Lee<[email protected]> wrote:
What is the greatest evil?
I wanted to use the word sin, but I want to get away from any
religiousness in this one.
So what is the greatest evil, and why?
I don't think any of us have the capacity to comprehend the true
answer to this. Good and evil exist on a spectrum and I doubt, very
much, if anyone would ever encounter either end of that spectrum. In
truth, the greatest evil that could be would be 'the greatest evil
that God could comprehend', and that's outside our remit, as it were.
Sorry to drag this back to religion by introducing God into the
equation, but I think the true answer lies only with that One. In a
word, it might be best described by 'Hell'. But that offers no
discription whatsoever. I suppose it's a wait-n-see situation. By
that, I mean, if such a thing exists, then either we'll get tossed
into it or pass it by on the way to the opposite. So the tales go.....
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