What makes a good/evil person?

[Dark_Waltz]

I've been thinking about this today alot
good vs evil-
What makes a good person ? Is it someone who just conforms in a certain way?

 

[Engyo]

Don't you need to define good and evil, first, before you can judge someone as one or the other?

Beyond that, I would say that peoples' WORDS and/or ACTIONS can be good or evil, but the *person* is not either one.

 

[michel]

I've been thinking about this today alot
good vs evil-
What makes a good person ? Is it someone who just conforms in a certain way?

What makes a good person? a person who chooses to do 'good' at every opportunity; just as a bad person is a person who chooses to do bad at every opportunity.

Most of us would like to believe we do the right thing (and I guess most people probably do so most of the time)....but then there are the others...

 

[Feathers in Hair]

I do not know. I'm not sure if I even believe in good and evil. If there is something that I find similar, it is in how a person treats others. A person who is a wonderful conversationalist, donates to charity, has brilliant teeth, is funny and intelligent... if that person behaves that way to you and then is rude to the waiter? I don't think that's a nice person. Similarly, I think that those who treat others differently according to their 'station' in life are not nice people, either. (The definition of 'people', in my case, pretty much encompasses all existence, but you use whatever interpretation you prefer.)

In terms of behavior, I can think of no better form of goodness than kindness and compassion. Even if the person acts gruffly, their goodness shows when they perform an act of kindness, or express compassion. (Especially through works.)

 

[Bishka]

Don't you need to define good and evil, first, before you can judge someone as one or the other?

Beyond that, I would say that peoples' WORDS and/or ACTIONS can be good or evil, but the *person* is not either one.

I agree very much with Engyo on this one. The actions can be good and evil, but a person is neither good nor evil per se.

 

[Storm Moon]

Same here. I think it depends on how you define good and evil.

 

[The Black Whirlwind]

a good person is one who does good deeds, is compassionate, and fights evil everywhere, to their best ability. Well, that's mostly a super virtuous person, but you get the picture.

 

[Fluffy]

To be honest, you really don't need to define good and evil in order to express what you feel should be analysed in order to come to a moral judgement.

If you are a consequentialist, then it would be the total result of a person's actions that defines whether he is good or evil.
If you are a deontologist, then the actions themselves will hold a place on the scale of good to evil and these will, in turn, affect the moral make up of that person.
I don't know what I am but I believe that a person's intentions are more important than either the consequences of their actions and the actions they choose to express their intentions... as far as determining whether a person is good or evil at any rate.

 

[Jaymes]

I'd define a good person as someone who tries to hurt others as little as possible, and an evil person as the opposite.

 

[michel]

I'd define a good person as someone who tries to hurt others as little as possible, and an evil person as the opposite.

I like that, because it is realistic in the addition of "as little as possible"; one of my pet hates is being in human form, doomed to sin, by the very nature of being human....

 

[Terrywoodenpic]

Good and evil are "handles" we attach to people to describe their nature.
It only works for the people doing the applying.
Depending on your religion and philosophy you may put people in other categories.
The west generally uses the Christian ethic as to good and evil.
This standard is not far off the standard of all major religions.

Terry________________________
Amen! Truly I say to you: Gather in my name. I am with you.