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From: wex@ittvax.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.philosophy,net.religion
Subject: Re: what IS evil
Message-ID: <809@ittvax.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 23-Jun-83 16:50:46 EDT
Article-I.D.: ittvax.809
Posted: Thu Jun 23 16:50:46 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 24-Jun-83 15:51:50 EDT
References: unc.5415
Lines: 19

Tim makes an interesting point on the nature of good and evil.

I would like to take a slightly different tack, however.  Copping straight 
from the notebooks of Lazarus Long (Heinlein), I will maintain that it is
EVIL, and not merely undesirable, to hurt someone unnecessarily.

Of course, necessary is in itself debatable, but I think I can cite examples
of instances where an act is NEVER necessary.  The first example that comes
to mind is rape.  Emotional issues aside, I cannot image a circumstance 
where rape is necessary.  Or, alternately, giving harmful drugs to 
someone who does not need them.  Again, the act itself never is 
necessary.  Therefore, I would like to define it as evil.

Comments?

--Alan Wexelblat
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