Is it possible to choose evil as evil?

[Castillo]

Is it possible for someone in a reasonable state of mind to do something that they know is wrong, or evil, and that will have no benefit to anyone and is in no way justifiable? I'm not referring to people who are insane, crazy, that kind of thing, I'm referring to people with a good head on and a good sense of right and wrong. What do you think?

[Mr. Ron]

Of course.

[Aaron]

Everyone has an individual moral code. Evil is subjective.

[Castillo]

Ok but what if say a 40 year old white supremicist male rapes and kills a 10 year old black girl. This is an evil act but would this person view his actions as evil or would he view them as justified because of his own personal bias? And if he views them as justified it's clearly not evil in his mind is it?

[Aaron]

He'd rationalise it as to be justified based on his moral code, and would know that it's against the majority. Depends on a number of factors; personality, upbringing, religious views, social views, mood.

[TheDarkHorse]

Is it possible for someone in a reasonable state of mind to do something that they know is wrong, or evil, and that will have no benefit to anyone and is in no way justifiable? I'm not referring to people who are insane, crazy, that kind of thing, I'm referring to people with a good head on and a good sense of right and wrong. What do you think?

I see what you're trying to say. What you're asking is if someone can do evil for evil's sake. We call those people sadists.
However, "evil" if you look at it is just perverted good. People typically do an action because it will lead to some good. This is a purely philosophical/ethical question, and a very good one at that.

[The Transporter]

people just do whatever they think will benefit themselves the most

[Surgicalgod]

yeah take a look at israel, for example. anyone with any sense in their mind would see their actions as unjustified and 'evil' but zionists seem to think israel is doing god's work on earth. take this idiot for example:

Fiery television evangelist Pastor John Hagee has emerged as the rallying voice for thousands of American Christians who believe Israel is doing God's work in a "war of good versus evil".

so yeah the subjectivity of evil can be very flexible.

[italic zero]

Socrates says no but I say yes. I make evil choices all the time.

[Mr. Ron]

well, the term "evil" is a bit broad don't you think?

[Permanent Solution]

Um anyone who chooses evil for evil's sake would be classified as crazy by society as a whole so the question is unanswerable as phrased.

[peeted]

Its a hard one because you'd think that if someone genuinley believes that something is wrong (and isnt just going by a social norm or something), then they really think they shouldnt do it. If they have no reason whatsoever to do it then it does seem pretty irrational or even contradictory to do it. However it seems silly to say that someone is insane just because they act impulsivley and do things they themselves deem evil.

[K oko]

Socrates says no but I say yes. I make evil choices all the time.

no he said if you know what good is you wont do evil. if you do evil then he says you are ignorant and dont know what good is. So if you make evil choices all the time you dont have knowledge of good and you are ignorant (according to Socrates).

So only people ignorant of what is good do evil. But i think in reality people tend to know what is right but rationalize their behavior and justify their actions based on what they want because we are all inherently selfish. And then there is always a small group of people who dont have any conscience at all and do horrifically evil things and are insane.

[Permanent Solution]

Its a hard one because you'd think that if someone genuinley believes that something is wrong (and isnt just going by a social norm or something), then they really think they shouldnt do it. If they have no reason whatsoever to do it then it does seem pretty irrational or even contradictory to do it. However it seems silly to say that someone is insane just because they act impulsivley and do things they themselves deem evil.

wrong=/=evil

[K oko]

yes people can and people do most of them are normal regular people like people following hitler or pol pot or whatever sure hey it was once normal to be a good catholic and drown some jews or burn a few witches at the stake too you know nothing wrong with a little evil for the greater good

[Against Miik!]

If you are willing to admit that you must sometimes do evil to do good, then yes, it's possible

[K oko]

having to do good now and then so that a little evil might result is fine too

[peeted]

Most of the comments in this thread have involved things like "doing evil to do good", or hitler & polpot etc. The thread starter specified "and that will have no benefit to anyone and is in no way justifiable?" If your doing evil to do good your justifying your act, hitler etc thought what they were doing was right, and they justified themselves in their actions. Its actualy very hard to think of an example of someone doing these things with no justification whatsoever except perhaps psychopaths. But they are insane.

[K oko]

you know sometimes someone can say one thing but mean something entirely different right

[Iskandar]

having to do good now and then so that a little evil might result is fine tooDon't you mean it's okay to do a little evil if the end result is good?

[Iscariot]

It's very possible, and very easy.

[K oko]

yes i'd think it'd be common sense really tho but anyone who is rational recognizes that doing evil involves a risk like getting caught or worse running into someone more evil and smarter than them so they dont do it unless they are completely freaking crazy

[Iscariot]

Rational people would also plan and prepare so that these things wouldn't happen to them.

[K oko]

sure they can but most people arent as clever as they think and i think there is something like karma that what you do eventually comes back to you

[K oko]

Don't you mean it's okay to do a little evil if the end result is good?

no read the post above that one i was making a little joke out of it sorry i know this is serious bidness in here and all and it wont happen again

[fingers mccoy]

isnt evil definitively that - an immoral act that is committed in full self-awareness? that's at least what i thought it meant in its biblical form.

i dont personally believe evil exists, for that reason. the stimuli for moral actions come from evaluations of their consequences. Those consequences may be bad for other people, but even sadistic acts are committed for some emotional personal benefit, and as far as i was aware selfishness was not considered evil.

The devil, being evil personified, must surely represent its absolute. I suppose we may consider his motivation as some form of revenge. idk. i probably have a very simplistic view of the bible.

[K oko]

it definitely exists but it doesnt mean that god exists

my problem in general with believing in christianity is the fact that evil most definitely does exist

[K oko]

evil and selfishness and usually considered synonymous in most moral frameworks but if you dont think its selfish to inflict harm on another person or even kill them just because it personally makes you happy then dont cry like a little bitch when you are being beaten in a jail cell and having cunt tatooed on your forehead

[fingers mccoy]

evil and selfishness and usually considered synonymous in most moral frameworks but if you dont think its selfish to inflict harm on another person or even kill them just because it personally makes you happy then dont cry like a little bitch when you are being beaten in a jail cell and having squirrel tatooed on your forehead

what

i didnt think of evil as belonging to a set of moral values rather an attitude in which immoral acts are committed

[JohnXDoe3]

its possible, sure. because perfect people do not exist

i don't think a "reasonable" mind would keep them from it. thats been shown time and again

[K oko]

idk i think you are very naive and you must live a very sheltered life or something but sooner or later you will meet a truly evil person who does evil things just for the sake of being evil they are out there go read crime library and if that dont convince you i dont know what to say i hope you never run into one

[fingers mccoy]

:confused: dont you hope i dont run into one anyway? :upset:

[Foehammer]

Is it possible for someone in a reasonable state of mind to do something that they know is wrong, or evil, and that will have no benefit to anyone and is in no way justifiable? I'm not referring to people who are insane, crazy, that kind of thing, I'm referring to people with a good head on and a good sense of right and wrong. What do you think?

Why do something that wont even benefit yourself?
For that matter, why do anything that doesn't benefit yourself..

Edit:
They could be in a state of mind where it DOES benefit themselves. Then you may decide "Hey, that's evil!"
What makes it evil?

Your moral code?

If it is harmful to you, you better be able to avoid the situation.
If not, it is your fault for letting him do something "evil"