Intelligence Breeds Evil, Choice Tempers It

You already know what this thread is about, so let's get straight into it.

Evil. It's not easily defined, nor given shape. We call many things evil, and some people may agree, others may disagree. My personal definition of evil...TRUE evil...comes in two parts: one) it exists without love or compassion, and possibly two) it takes pleasure in malice without cause. The second part is frequent, but not guaranteed.

This is just my definition. I am not forcing it on you; you are welcome to have your own definition. It will definitely affect how you read the rest of this, but please keep an open mind.

Intelligence breeds evil. First of all, animals have no concept of evil. All they have is instinct, and the desire to meet that instinct. But as soon as humans come along, BOOM! we have the concept of evil. It may have started with the Church, it may have simply sprung up...I don't know. But with humans, came the concept of evil.

Now...not only have we given evil its name, we have also used intelligence to create various ways of committing evil acts. Without intelligence, not only would we not know evil, we wouldn't have the means by which to devise it. Of course, one could always ask, "Well, if something only knows how to do evil, that eliminates intelligence, doesn't it? Something without the smarts to figure it out could still be designed to do evil things."

That doesn't make it evil by nature. The acts are evil; the thing or person itself is not. In order to be evil, the choice must be there. The knowledge that it is considered evil, that it is a violation of nature, must be present. Otherwise, it's not a matter of not caring, but a matter of ignorance. Ignorance is not evil.

Another argument is that intelligence EMPOWERS evil, rather than breeding it. As I said: animals do not sin, nor do they commit evil acts. They follow instinct. No species, other than man, has committed genocide because of appearance, or for a purification process, unless their survival is clearly threatened. This implied that without intelligence, evil is absent. Even with stealing food and killing opposition, it's a clear matter of survival.

We humans commit these acts, not for survival, but for superficial concepts, such as pride and anger. Or...simply for fun. That has happened too, many times.

Without intelligence, we do not think of, "Hey, I can do this" or "I can do that." Higher thinking is not available. We do not register malice and take pleasure in it. Malice is a higher thinking concept. Even a dog that is snapping at smaller creatures is not doing it for fun: it is establishing order, keeping itself alive.

Now, on to the second part...choice. We always have the choice to commit evil acts, every second of every day. But when we look at an opportunity, or think of an evil act, and choose instead to do something nice or remain neutral...we have tempered that possibility. We have tamed that wild beast that tempts us to do evil things that fulfill our desires of the flesh (food, money, clothing, etc.) and we are stronger because of it.

Some of you will say, "So, what? You want us to become stupid?" No, this is merely an answer. People go around wondering where evil comes from, why people do evil things. Why? Because we are intelligent. We invented evil, and we wrought it. We never look at animals and think, "That's an evil bird."

We look at each other or the things we make and say, "That's evil." Evil is a uniquely human concept, brought into being by human intelligence, and tempered by human reason.

And in this day and age, choice has never been more important.



Namaste

(note: I came up with this a while ago, and am well-aware there may be a few flaws...but I believe, for the most part, it is correct. Considering its unwieldy and arguable nature, I am merely posting it as food for thought.)

Good post OP.

My own personal opinion of "evil" is that it doesn't exist.
What was considered evil yesterday, might not be today, and what is considered evil today, probably wont be tomorrow.
Therefore, I feel that it is just a man made concept, and not a tangible quantity/quality.

Just my own opinion.

Well just my thoughts on this but I would say 'evil' is obviously an interpretation, but luckily for the species one most of us can somewhat agree on.

I think to a large extent though 'good/evil' ----'god/devil' was originally man's attempt to define 'pleasure/pain'.( It has since moved somewhat away from that having been subverted by a part of the species who seeks gain.)

I would just add too that I think 'ignorance' really causes much more pain to mankind and if true 'higher intelligence' could be reached by a majority we could have a much more peaceful, freer and happier world.

Yep, intelligence is highly overrated. Wisdom, on the other hand, seems pretty sweet.

I say "seems" because that's how it looks when I see other folk demonstrate it--wisdom that is. I lack much of it, but wisdom, to me, seems like the highest form of intellect. A spiritual intellect if you will.

I know lots of folk that I can cream at Jeopardy, but many of those "simple" folk have lives filled with spiritual treasures and love that trump a humanistic and developed "intellect." I learn--slowly--much from them.

Maybe that's the real tragedy of the tale of the Garden of Eden? Intellect--and the evils that come with it--in exchange for a natural wisdom and simplicity that was sweetness itself?

Hrumph! The "lightbearer" indeed. Party pooper more like it.

Originally posted by Tecumte
Well just my thoughts on this but I would say 'evil' is obviously an interpretation, but luckily for the species one most of us can somewhat agree on.

I think to a large extent though 'good/evil' ----'god/devil' was originally man's attempt to define 'pleasure/pain'.( It has since moved somewhat away from that having been subverted by a part of the species who seeks gain.)

I would just add too that I think 'ignorance' really causes much more pain to mankind and if true 'higher intelligence' could be reached by a majority we could have a much more peaceful, freer and happier world.

edit on 26-2-2012 by Tecumte because: sp.

Ignorance will never cause as much pain as deliberate malice (aka evil).

I have read before that the only true good is knowledge, and the only true evil is ignorance. Arguable, and certainly insightful, but not necessarily accurate.

reply to post by Starchild23


As you stated intelligence gives you the ability to commit evil but the truly intelligent refrain. Evil is not necessarily bred from intelligence we are taught it. Popular culture is the culprit more than intelligence and I'd be willing to say that greed is the most responsible for our past and present.

reply to post by Starchild23



Nice post , even thou I am still looking for some arguments to counter your main OP i do have to make one remark . If your idea is right then I hope we are the only inteligent species in the universe ... Because the alternative mean that every spiecies inteligent enough to develop space travel is evil to the core That means that the whole universe is on fire and at war Not a pretty concept ...

Originally posted by The GUT
Yep, intelligence is highly overrated. Wisdom, on the other hand, seems pretty sweet.

I say "seems" because that's how it looks when I see other folk demonstrate it--wisdom that is. I lack much of it, but wisdom, to me, seems like the highest form of intellect. A spiritual intellect if you will.

I know lots of folk that I can cream at Jeopardy, but many of those "simple" folk have lives filled with spiritual treasures and love that trump a humanistic and developed "intellect." I learn--slowly--much from them.

Maybe that's the real tragedy of the tale of the Garden of Eden? Intellect--and the evils that come with it--in exchange for a natural wisdom and simplicity that was sweetness itself?

Hrumph! The "lightbearer" indeed. Party pooper more like it.

Great post, yes sensing the difference between where intelligence ends and wisdom starts is a good outlook. I think we all know a few very 'wise' people in our lives that may not have any paper hanging on the wall (or they may) that might well be considered 'sages', and perhaps too a few that could design a battleship and have no clue how to understand the 'deeper' world.

As to comment on the OP, I tend to personally view 'choice' and possibly 'free will' as yet another set of descriptions, certainly not operating equally by any means in all individuals at all times. "Choice' Imo happens on a scale when one has removed certain obstacles preventing one from actively 'choosing'.

My opinion, Evil is the word used when the mind stops trying to understand. It is a judgement used to discern right or wrong or black and white. Its a word, and therefore a definition, used during moral judgement of self or others. Does it exist? Yes because the world believes it does and this gives the understanding energy and power. I agree with you that it is a human creation, but I think it stems from the fall of the proverbial Adam and Eve story. The fall from Natural understandings to science and the search for physical understandings. Eves-ill is the dis ease. The fall from the non-physical spiritual understandings to the simplified world within this reality, thus falling from our true selves into the limited form of physical reality.

I agree that intelligence breeds this concept in a way. Intelligence in a limited definition of knowledge of the physical world we define ourselves limited to vrs the intelligence to look past the maze of amazement that this physical reality is and look toward the mountain of enlightenment or the non physical realms of energy and consciousness not readily studied by science.

Originally posted by ISHAMAGI
reply to post by Starchild23

 

As you stated intelligence gives you the ability to commit evil but the truly intelligent refrain. Evil is not necessarily bred from intelligence we are taught it. Popular culture is the culprit more than intelligence and I'd be willing to say that greed is the most responsible for our past and present.

Yes, but intelligence will never allow you to completely overcome the ability to think of evil things to do. Oh, there's a couple of bucks someone left as a tip. Grab it on the way out? Someone's dog is tied up outside the store. Maybe I can kick it for fun!

Those sorts of things. Intelligence allows us to observe and formulate reactions to life around us, including the "evil" reactions that we ignore (hopefully). Popular culture actually teaches us that money is the fix-all, good guys always win (more violently than they used to), and Bugs Bunny never dies.

Nothing about committing evil acts...especially with these cop shows. If anything, it teaches us that sometimes, even being innocent can get you in trouble!

Originally posted by Starchild23

Originally posted by Tecumte
Well just my thoughts on this but I would say 'evil' is obviously an interpretation, but luckily for the species one most of us can somewhat agree on.

I think to a large extent though 'good/evil' ----'god/devil' was originally man's attempt to define 'pleasure/pain'.( It has since moved somewhat away from that having been subverted by a part of the species who seeks gain.)

I would just add too that I think 'ignorance' really causes much more pain to mankind and if true 'higher intelligence' could be reached by a majority we could have a much more peaceful, freer and happier world.

edit on 26-2-2012 by Tecumte because: sp.

Ignorance will never cause as much pain as deliberate malice (aka evil).

I have read before that the only true good is knowledge, and the only true evil is ignorance. Arguable, and certainly insightful, but not necessarily accurate.

I understand what you're saying, but first can we really say positively 'deliberate malice' is not but a sign of "ignorance".? (at least on the bigger scale)

Yes their could be likley other things we could attribute it too directly but what are those based on ? 'Choice'???

I already commented below on the idea of 'choice.' too that you mentioned in your Op it's possible we might view it differently.

reply to post by Agarta


I have to agree with this. It's similar to time...we try to understand the undefinable, and in the end, we come up with a very loose definition that changes from person to person. However, those things that are largely thought to be evil only through the intelligence (so-called) of human beings.

As I said, it is simply food for thought. Even if I'm not right, it gets people to think instead of drifting through life on auto-pilot, before ending up on their death bed thinking, "What the hell was I doing all this time?"

Originally posted by Tecumte

Originally posted by Starchild23

Originally posted by Tecumte
Well just my thoughts on this but I would say 'evil' is obviously an interpretation, but luckily for the species one most of us can somewhat agree on.

I think to a large extent though 'good/evil' ----'god/devil' was originally man's attempt to define 'pleasure/pain'.( It has since moved somewhat away from that having been subverted by a part of the species who seeks gain.)

I would just add too that I think 'ignorance' really causes much more pain to mankind and if true 'higher intelligence' could be reached by a majority we could have a much more peaceful, freer and happier world.

edit on 26-2-2012 by Tecumte because: sp.

Ignorance will never cause as much pain as deliberate malice (aka evil).

I have read before that the only true good is knowledge, and the only true evil is ignorance. Arguable, and certainly insightful, but not necessarily accurate.

I understand what you're saying, but first can we really say positively 'deliberate malice' is not but a sign of "ignorance".? (at least on the bigger scale)

Yes their could be likley other things we could attribute it too directly but what are those based on ? 'Choice'???

I already commented below on the idea of 'choice.' too that you mentioned in your Op it's possible we might view it differently.

It depends on your definition of ignorance.

There's really no excuse if you are 30 years old, clearly well-educated in matters of law, and you still choose to go out and steal someone's car before ramming it into a school bus full of children...just for kicks.

If you are educated on the accepted standards of morality, then there is no ignorance. There's just being flatout malicious.

I understand opinions will differ throughout the thread. I'm not telling you you're wrong, I'm simply showing you other perspectives that are also partially correct. Sometimes, the whole problem is the refusal to accept other perspectives. And no, acceptance does not mean adherence. It means, in this case, respect.

reply to post by Starchild23


Interesting post Starchild.

I have stated before that I believe that evil is selfishness

and good is selflessness.

Love must be the motive for good actions.

A lack of love is behind evil actions.


However, someone may have good intentions but have bad results, and someone may have bad intentions with good results.


The problem with intelligence is that people can begin to lack humility and can be absorbed by their own ego.

reply to post by Tecumte

As to comment on the OP, I tend to personally view 'choice' and possibly 'free will' as yet another set of descriptions, certainly not operating equally by any means in all individuals at all times. "Choice' Imo happens on a scale when one has removed certain obstacles preventing one from actively 'choosing'.

Choice and free will go hand in hand, in my opinion. Free will provides the choice, and the choice is due to free will. The definition of choice, however, is not the question here, as most people have a pretty accurate understanding of the word.

Either you choose to, or you choose not to. It's not a difficult concept...a blessing, considering the rest of the thread.

reply to post by dusty1

I have stated before that I believe that evil is selfishness

and good is selflessness.

Love must be the motive for good actions.

A lack of love is behind evil actions.

I love your definition. Very simple, yet deep. I may steal this for future reference.

I always over-complicate things in my efforts to prove that my ideas are not "groundless accusations" or some such tripe. Thank you for this post.

Intelligence is putting things into groups and one of these groups is evil, so I guess it does.

reply to post by Starchild23

Intelligence Breeds Evil, Choice Tempers It

If I read you right, you suggest that without understanding the concept of good and bad, neither exist.

It's a good approach, in my opinion, to beginning to understand the base human condition and how we both consciously and subconsciously make choices while weighing our actions against our views of right and wrong.

Do we now have some kind of firmware that comes instinctively to our species... giving us a basic knowledge of good and bad? Or is it something we learn as we go through experience?

I like the firmware idea and that, less the understanding, there is an innocence that can be neither good or bad.

I disagree OP, intelligence does not breed evil, it allows man to discern evil.

The thing is animals do evil things to each other all the time, they just don't have the ability to discern whether their actions are evil and they don't care whether they are or not. They are free from examining and agonizing over whether their actions are evil or not; like man does, but are not free from evil acts. The fact is I have seen many videos showing the evil acts of animals and I am not speaking of hunting, I am talking about sheer selfish actions that in my opinion are evil, whether the animal realizes it or not.

I have seen one nature documentary on lions, where a male lion selfishly decides he wants to mate with a female lion, but because she already has little cubs, she is not in the mood, so the male lion finds those cubs, picks them one by one up in his mouth and bites down until he snaps their necks. Anyway, you slice that, that is evil. I have seen another one where a group of chimps single out another chimp and beat it to death, not protecting territory, not to defend themselves and not to hunt, that is evil. And also, it is a well known fact that many animals, will kill their own offspring if they appear to different, it's a well known example amongst chickens who have been known to peck to death, their own chicks trying to remove different feather patterns, then are common in the breed. That is evil.

Man is not unique to evil, we are only unique in being able to discern which of our acts are evil. And, the truth is our ability to see which of our actions are evil and abstain from them, unlike animals. shows that actually intelligence not only doesn't breed evil, it is the only thing that stands in opposition to evil and selfish desires. Ignorance breeds evil, intelligence destroys it.