Theory and practice in the face of evil

Harm to the origin of mankind

Conscience is the light of intelligence to distinguish right from wrong. Confucius

Theoretically, any judgment on an action, is subjective. It can not be based on any solid foundation.
Theoretically, the Sophists philosophers have reason to write : " anything goes ."
Theoretically, Spinoza just see where it considers "evil" as an illusory reality ....

But the practice is another story.

In practice man must judge things . Must assign values ​​to various events. In practice, it must believe in the reality of evil . In practice, human society must follow the philosophy of Socrates urging man to judge his actions.

The choice of humanity

Humanity is not mistaken in his choice. Incorporated as human thrust, the bed evolution is necessarily the best to reach the sea That is why the history of philosophy chosen as current rather than another . This is why philosophy sophists concepts refused to adopt the Socratic . She followed Socrates and Plato * instead of following Gorgias and Protagoras . **

* For whom " being is " and morality is necessary

** For whom " nothing is, and if it is, it is unknowable, and if it is knowable, it is incommunicable ."

Not that the sophists have wrongs. They even probably right. Only humanity to be, absolutely needed belief and morality. He had to distinguish between shares "good" and "evil", and choose two well .

Everything comes to

In absolute terms, things will probably place "beyond good and evil", as Nietzsche says . But if humanity has created these two concepts is that they should exist .. The man with the values ​​of right and wrong. Notions of authorized and forbidden And it makes sense . Indeed, imagine our species suddenly acting without questioning his actions. Imagine men reacting to things, without ever questioning their actions. Without considering whether such behavior belongs to the realm of "good" or the "evil" . Without wondering whether or not to act in a certain way . Mankind then simply return to the first stage, the "natural primates " *

* It would reform small troops ... Abandon any progress ... Forget all spiritualities ... and return to the absolute power of the dominant ...

Evil has a sense

It is an engine of perfection

A non-return lock

Initially, the values ​​of "good" and "evil" used to "stabilize" the humanity. They allow us to rule out return to our origins natural primates. But their mission does not stop there. If their only purpose was to keep humanity in a state, the values ​​of good and evil would not have evolved.
Once our consolidated case, the well ceased to progress and regress of evil . These two concepts are frozen after the acquisition by man of his great moral laws *.

* Moral rules from the first major religions like Hinduism and Judaism ...

The major sense of right and wrong

Only humanity beyond that. Since the appearance of these two core values ​​, our species continued to "work." The prohibition of evil has grown, sophisticated and refined. The impunity enjoyed by the man ( the absolute power of the strong over the weak ) has been shrinking .

On the contrary, has found many ways to expansions. Education, politics, religion, secularism, solidarity, ethics, morality, friendship, love ... evolve. Evolving, these faculties guide our species in a specific direction.

Through the evolution of these two concepts *, it is possible to understand the true commitment of humanity.

* or more precisely, through the meaning assigned by man to each of the two values​​(evil down and right up )

Good and evil are values ​​invented by man and for man . They are subjective, anthropocentric and therefore can not explain the world in theory . But they are fundamental to our humanization . The gradual devaluation of evil for the well, inevitably erects well as the supreme value .

The need for bias

Judge good and evil

He closed his eyes not to see the evil in this world and that is how evil was found helpless . Ernst Wiechert

In theory ( as we have seen above ) the "good" and "evil " are illusory realities. These are prejudices as Spinoza thinks . Ruses of reason to use a formula of Hegel. Necessary illusions and serves as a guide to evolution, as I said myself.

Spinoza 's position about good and evil, is fundamental to human intelligence. But the very presence of these two values ​​in humanity makes their fitness absurd question. It's like saying " it would be better that I have ever born! ". The option in the absence of good and evil, in fact, does not exist and will never exist . These two concepts are imposed on humanity beyond human control * .

* Like most elements of our species elsewhere.

And misconceptions about human behavior are part of the backbone of our society.

At birth judgments

Be and should be. To the ideal.

Ideal as a horizon.

Leaving natural primates, man has imposed judgments about their actions. It has projected a kind of " human ideal " his horizon. Henceforth, our species has continued to move towards this archetype.

Since the founding act, man navigates between what he is and what he wants to be . Between how it behaves and how it should behave. From there was born dissatisfaction. The dissatisfaction of potentially corruptible, and the impeachment of this weakness. So far, the projection of a human ideal, a "pulled" humanity up. We can even say that it " has made humanity what it is ."

The ideal tribal to religious ideal

The archetype of the ideal man has evolved over time . The Neanderthal era likely used in a very different from ours. Tribal organizations ( such as the pre-Socratic Greeks ) had their own ( like the wily Odysseus ) . But this ideal has reached its unsurpassable climax with the great religions and philosophies. To reach the summit was handed the holy, perfect, wise . The innocent man, completely master of his tendencies, his desires and impulses.

The ideal man for the religious

The major religions today includes almost all human beings. They all have a model of perfect individual . For the Hindu, Buddhist, Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and this is the ideal man can achieve. He must simply cultivate inner strength . The increase until it becomes greater than his impulses . It must be able to withstand all forms of "evil." And then devote himself exclusively to the "good" and absolute love . Having reached this point, the human being becomes the equivalent of the deity. There is then one with the creative principle .

Materialistic period

Today, after 30 years of neoliberalism * frantic this ideal is difficult to see .

* And more broadly, since the era of the great industrialization.

Examples of purity does not mix well with the business of pleasure. The current mercantilism, large dealer charming stays away those ideals * .

* This is why television, current market instrument, neglects or mocks the transcendental spiritual experiences

Yet despite the constant attacks of the market, the majority still prefer human "being" to have it. She prefers happiness to pleasure. You never corrupts a people, but sometimes the wrong one philosopher said ... That is why the people carefully preserved this ideal in his heart . He always keeps in focus .

The return of the ideal

According to André Malraux, the twenty-first century will be spiritual or will not. I totally agree with this view . Many indications lean elsewhere for a return of the spiritual. It counterbalances 30 years of senseless changes implemented by the uninhibited globalization. This " neo spiritualism " is rocking the old totems of wild horde which Freud speaks and who were raised in the market ... It aims to break down the new occupants of our small screens. Of primitive gods, imbued with vengeance and heroes insane * .

* Become, facilitators, presenters, celebrities, " emperors " of industry and finance ...

Evil as necessary.

The first is not at the origin of good and evil

At the root prohibited

If "evil" was a kind of " heterogeneous part," it would actually absurd. If he could not be in the process of evolution, then it would actually absurd.

But "evil" in a sense . Its role is important for the construction of good and humanity. The transformation of a natural primate humans asking our species to prohibit certain behaviors. It would ban some legitimate acts in nature ( such as predation, dominance, aggression etc.). . Each share the man was assigned a value judgment. *

* Right or wrong, permitted or prohibited, normal or abnormal .

The birth of a human being

Because one day, our ancestors began to judge, we are now "human beings." Because he asked bans on certain actions, man has created the structures of humanity. Since the beginning of its history, our species learns to master better behavior. This discipline has long allowed our exit "laws" of nature. It opened in meditation, reflection and reasoning . Continually boosting the number of forbidden*, man becomes more human.

* Changes in the law

The evolution of the law gradually devalue us primary ability to say to the detriment of others. The legislature, the political, the law enforcement system, are major players in the evolution ... But do not also forget the transgression as we shall see in the next chapter .

2001

evil and freedom