Good vs. Evil (Essay)Early forms of good and evil are generally expressed through pantheons of gods who are associated with both sides and sit on the moral compass fighting for good or for evil. Moving forward in the story we see the Judeo Christian belief of divine law where your entry into heaven depends on your sinful or holy nature. In more modern concepts we see good and evil embody our actions, individuals can have different qualities of both good and evil and justifying whether that individual is on either side of the moral compass is up to the society around them. Good and evil today are no longer a black and white concept, there is a general understanding of right and wrong in society, but as individuals we can nurture both qualities. Different societies and cultures play a huge role in deciding whether actions are good or bad, and we often see actions justified as legal or illegal in society. While the law is another gray area of what is truly right or wrong, there are many common wrongs in all societies that include actions such as murder. Since there is a general consensus in human society that murder is bad, could we agree that it is wrong? Yes and no. In many studies one will find a common sense of impossibility towards achieving true happiness, and in some cases it is argued that death itself means achieving happiness because existence in this world is suffering. Perhaps since death is the only way to achieve happiness, killing another individual would guarantee their happiness. The concepts of good and evil are maintained through relative nature because it is impossible to justify something as truly good or bad. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Another argument might be that from a survival perspective we maintain a moral compass surrounding life or death. Life is good as we continue to survive and death is bad as we don't live long. This argument can also be made in communities where more individuals in my community or village results in a greater sense of survival, stronger numbers, greater quantity of acquired assets, and greater potential for population growth . In this sense we can reach a basic moral compass in which many things are considered good or bad, for example: murder, theft and vandalism could easily be considered evil without the need for justification and charity, help and respect they are good qualities that can be the goal of creating a utopian society, or at least a first form of society. Along with technological advances we see more complex moral issues arise, one of the most popular being euthanasia, the practice of intentionally ending a life most commonly due to suffering. In many cultures we see individuals morally obligated to keep someone alive as long as possible, in Judaism someone who is brain dead but has a functioning body independent of cognition is still considered living. From a utilitarian point of view it could be argued that keeping a brain-dead cadaver alive is a waste of resources that could prolong the life of an individual who can function to a greater extent than a brain-dead patient. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper now from our expert writers. Get a custom essay. Who has the task or the right to decide whether the life of a brain-dead individual is worth more than that of the patient.
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