Boundaries between good and evil /Part 1/

At first glance, we can easily distinguish between good and evil. But if we ask ourselves what exactly makes them different, then difficulties arise. It is easiest to say that good is what is not evil, and evil is what is not good. But that does not make it clear to us. Good is what corresponds to nature Man is not only a public being but also a natural being. That is why we can decide that what corresponds to our nature will be good for us. Better will be "natural behavior", "natural needs" and "natural pleasures". An evil will be what contradicts our nature - hypocrisy, greed, gullibility. But since people are very different in age, as individuals, as people of different cultures, then disagreements are easily emerging about "what is natural?". For Plato, the aristocratic behavior was natural, and for his opponent, Diogenus of Sinopa, a natural unpreteness that came to life. What was natural to the sadistic heroinist Nero was not natural to his teacher, Seneca. Good is what comes from God. If we want to get rid of the relativity of natural differences, we can choose another way - to try to go beyond nature. Nature is God, because it is the creator of nature. Therefore, if we bring the good from God, then the problem of the different concepts of what is natural will not arise. This is the way they interpret the good believers in Christianity. God is a higher good and source of all good. Christ is the mediator between the higher good and the good life of the people. Jesus as a God-man is the proof that moral holiness and human life can be united.

image source

Good and evil - purely human values. The previous two concepts suggest that good exists before the person's existence and regardless of what one thinks of him. Today, there are more widespread beliefs that good and evil are values. These values ​​do not exist "somewhere" - "in nature" or "above" nature, but are just "things" that give moral meaning to human existence. From this point of view, good and evil are everywhere - within us and around us. They are in each of our choices where we choose how to live. They define the light or dark side of life, the pros and cons of it. Virtues and vices as characters. The ancients tended to believe that virtues and vices are almost as tightly connected with the individuality of man and his character as the color of the skin or the color of the eyes. That is why the fair man is fair, the generous - the generous, the vile - the sane for a lifetime. They thought that, as man's character (phlegmatic, sanguine, or choleric) was time-stable, his moral (brave or cowardly) did not change in different situations. Virtues and vices as preferences. Today the connection between the essence of man and his virtues and vices is "softer". We are more likely to say that someone has done fairly or generously in a particular situation rather than believing that he always does so and can not otherwise. We reproach someone that he has been cowardly, but we can assume that in another situation he will do otherwise. For us virtues and vices are rather attitudes or preferences to choosing certain values ​​rather than lifelike moral labels on the personality. Virtues and vices characterize the moral aspect of our personality: how we think - honest, prudent, or inferior and reckless; what we feel and experience - compassion, pride, hatred; what we value and desire - happiness, glory, wealth; how we do - noble, low, generous, faithful. The virtuous man does good freely and with ease, not under the threat of punishment or for any benefit. His good deeds come from the heart and through them he feels his life more real. That is why the Stoics claim that happiness is in doing good.

What are the cardinal virtues? Are virtues "more important" than others? Are there any ones on which all other virtues depend? Such "basic", "chief" virtues bear the name "cardinal". Plato lists four basic virtues: moderation, bravery, wisdom, and justice. The first three virtues correspond to the three ranks of the ideal state: moderation is the virtue of the farmers, courage is the virtue of the guards, and wisdom is the virtue of the rulers. The philosopher-theologian Thomas of Aquino believes that there are four cardinal human virtues (prudence, justice, courage and restraint) and three "theological virtues" (faith, hope and love). I will show here that among the main virtues we have to include the following eight: freedom, conscience, dignity, care, respect, justice, friendship and love.