Define Evil
 

This thread is for the discussion of how different individuals would define evil. I would like to keep this thread serious for the most part but because a topic like this can easily get out of hand I've put it here in general.

Basically what I mean by this is most people would think darkness is evil, light is good. I want to see what people think on an individual basis.

My definition of evil is intentionally imposing your will on others strictly to further your own ends (I.E. Someone who tries to convert someone to their own religion for the sole purpose of saving his/her own soul not the convertee's or someone who runs for President merely to gain power, not to rule as he/she believes is right.)

You'd think evil would be easy to define, but it's actually quite hard. After thinking about it, I think for someone to be evil, they have to do something by their own will that purposefully hurts others for personal gain or enjoyment. Accidents are one thing, but some things simply cannot be excused, like murder. Murder is evil.

Evil is, in my opinion, much harder to define than good.

In my opinion, to be evil, one has to have complete and utter contempt for anyone and everyone else. They have to be willing to climb over others, trample their friends and family into the ground, just to further their own goals.

An example of a truly evil person: A multimillionare who hoardes his/her money, buys unneccessary things, and flaunts their wealth while those around him/her starve.

Evil is any action or thought that falls within a certain set of specifications determined by the individual definer (myself, in this instance). Since this definition is entirely variable, it's fairly useless as far as society is concerned, which is why individual societies create guidelines for what is considered 'evil' as a whole. While the individual may still have a differing oppinion on just what is evil, he can not enforce it on his own. In the end, the person with the power to enfore their moral code gets to decide what right and wrong are.

In other words, "might makes right," whether you like it or not.

Evil, huh?

Well...let me take a crack at this.

To me, evil is when someone tries to gain something at the cost of other people. In christian mythos, Lucifer was cast down because he wanted the glory for himself, not for God. Hitler blamed jews for the problems of Germany, thus giving himself power when "solved" the problem.

Evil is a thing difficult to define because there is a fine line between evil and amoral that differs by oppinion. So here's a synthetic definition.

Evil- The effect of an action or inaction which causes harm to an other person unnecessarily.

Here is where the problem comes in. What is necessary is strictly a matter of oppinion. Here is what I think on the matter, however.

An act which harms an other person is necessary if that person is:
1. A threat to your survival.
2. A threat to the comfort and happiness of your loved ones.
Therefore, if a person said that he/she was going to kill you, and you had reason to believe him/her, it is not evil for you to kill him first, even if it's not technicly self defence (meaning that the person hadn't actualy done anything but threatan you). If you are starving and unemployed and the only thing he can do to support his family is steal and extort, then it is not evil. Either of those two acts done without the extenuating circumstances is evil however, because it was not necessary.

I disagree. Doing whatever it takes is not always wrong. Again, it depends on some factors: Your own life, and the lives of those you love. Is it wrong for a soldier to kill an opposing soldier? After all, he doesn't even KNOW the bloke. It's still right, because in war, the target is not only the soldiers, but everything afiliated with the soldiers country. Therefore, wariors are not evil. War is evil, but in a state of warfare, the only thing you can do is what ever is necessary, WHATEVER is necessary, to end the state of warfare. If someone is trying to kill you, won't you do "whatever it takes" to stay alive? What if someone is trying to kill your wife or child or parent? Weather "whatever it takes" is evil depends on weather it is necessary, not on weather "whatever it takes" is.

Evil is Killing babies and enjoying it.

ok, maybe not, but that is evil...
I agree with what TechnoCrack and Bear and... pretty much everyone else in this topic that evil is the pain caused to other people with pleasure. mufufufufufu...