Are humans inheretly evil or good beings?

Question

What affects our behavior?

Are we shaped by society?

What is more important, nature or nurture?

Please give an answer with a quote that backs up the evil side from a famous philosephor.

10 points will be awared to the best quote (non religous) !

Answer 1

"Man's nature is neither Evil nor Good, but Neutral" -Lavey-

1) Theologians of Renaissance times interpreted Scriptures for us lay-people to help the then powers-that-be.. keep order in the Country as well as their smaller communities about them. In order to do so, I believe, they invented the concept of the "Depravity of Man" and used certain verses potpourie-style(out of context) to make their case.

2) Randians on the other hand, choose the other side of this fallacious coin, and say Man's nature is basicly good, a marketable improvement I must say.... but equally falsely-founded.

3) In order to see what Lavey was driving out....I've used the following metaphor to get my mind about the neutrality of man's capacity for good or evil:

4) "Humans are as Good or Evil as a single match lying in a matchbox....the same match picked to light your fireplace to survive and keep warm during the winter months, is the same match that can start a malicious forest fire"

5) There are no generalities, in other words, to man's capactiy for Good and Evil...it has to be taken case by case... Until he Lights the match of Good or Evil... we will never know if he commits a Good or Evil act.

6) If you say to yourself, "I'm so mad at my best friend, I could kill him" doesn't make you any more a murderer then walking into Burger King makes you a Hamburger.... however, if you design plans on paper(something that can be seen by others in Reality)... or carry the act out in some fashion... then by all means your closer to being labeled a Murderer.  But flippant words, and thoughts, and body-language shouldn't always be used to incarcerate or judge people.

Answer 2

In one of the books of the old testament it says that some vessels (meaning people) were created with the nature of Satan and some were created with the nature of Christ. So, that means some of us are inherently good and some evil.

Answer 3

Neither. Good and evil are abstract fluid ideas that change rapidly from culture to culture, from era to era. Humans are inherently human, nothing more, nothing less.

I don't have a quote to back up my argument or one for the evil side of things, sorry.  

Answer 4

They are just beings, we are affected y all behaviour, we come with emotions and feelings and rage a jelousy and love and want and egos etc...

Behaviour is affected by person and circumstance, i might get a puppy and become overjoyed and cry, another might get angry and say "sh*t now whose gonna pick up after this rut"?

We are shaped by society ofcourse, we belive in the united states that children leave the household at 18, only to return in extreme cases or to do their laundry, where i live in Nicaragua u can stay with your parents untill you marry, other than that its starnge to live on your own. In certain tribes in Africa u never leave your home, you live according to instinct still, u hunt for food and u obey your elders with out a doubt.

Most of the world wants democracy, others want socialism, others really believe communism is the only way, we all have opinions but they are backed by how, where and with who we grew up, by personal experience, by living and ins ome cases brain washing might take effect.

We all share one world, and more than an infinite amount of ideas, so how do you answer a question that holds so many answers....

Answer 5

Nothing good nor bad that thinking makes it so...

We are born to survive - we learn how to from our society.  

Answer 6

"Nothing is good or bad but thinking makes it so." Hamlet.

I believe that humans are the top animal in the jungle and that "good" and "evil" are judgments we make that shift from culture to culture and over time.

Human behavior is complex and hard to predict.  Many things can affect us...like being in love or being heartbroken.

We are part of society.  It's a 2 way street in terms of influence.

Being alive is most important.  I know not what 2nd or 3rd less important is?  I am part of nature and happiest when I nurture.  You pick.

Answer 7

...all the above is learned...we start off at zero and accrue all the good and bads in growing...NURTURE...

Answer 8

I think you could say humans are inherently selfish (we of course become more selfless as we age) but good and evil are concepts that society created.  

Answer 9

We are animals this is nature not life we have life yes but all life is part of nature and in nature there is no wrong or right.

Natural disasters are bad to us but are nothing but a part of nature. Lions have to kill other animals to survive its nature not moral but as Humans we have developed culture which makes us think and better ways of survival made us create the good and bad morals and murder has always been the number one bad moral but as animals we have always practiced murder even chimpanzee today murder each other and like us its mainly the men its simply part of nature and nature is more important over anything

Answer 10

People become what they are for all reasons added upon one another.

Good parents can make all the right decisions and still have some "strange" kids anyways. Every person has a conscience and is affected by those around them. Parents are the main influence to some people and no influence to others..... So this question is hard to answer.... I don't know of any philosopher that would back me up

I'm the product of a strange life

Answer 11

Nature is more important because it help Nurture

Our behavior is affected by whats around us, our enviornment, including people.

There is no such thing as evil or good, only Cruelty and Kindness.

One must have a balance of both to obtain good health and judgment. Telling your child when to clean their room is cruel to them but it must be done. Its not severely cruel so its called strictness.

You must be Strict but kind. A good King must be Strict and Cruel to those who are even more cruel to break rules and laws, but kind enough to keep his followers under him.

Answer 12

we're not good or bad, it's the decisions we make that define that.