A Challenge Of Sorts

[KizlarAgha]

[quote name='Kosh' post='1107689' date='Nov 1 2006, 04:19 PM']
only if you're talking about it in the physical sense. That's not what he's referring to.
[/quote]

Yes it is. If I ask a person what is beautiful, they'll name physical things - a flower, a tree, a sunset, etc. Unless of course they're trying to avoid the physical, in which case they'll say "the love of a husband and wife" or something like that. But clearly that's not beauty in the same sense of a rose, even if we use the same word to describe both things. So, the question is, can we see beauty as a result of chemicals? I think we can.

[quote name='KnightofChrist' post='1107690' date='Nov 1 2006, 04:20 PM']
How can there be evil if there is no God? Without God we are just like the other animals and "evil" is merely survival of the fitest.
[/quote]

I think there is evil because we have the capacity not to kill. A chimpanzee murdering the baby of a rival doesn't have the capacity not to do it, not as near as I can tell anyway. Perhaps he does and I just don't know it. But, I doubt it. Because we have the capacity not to act on our impulses, we can put a label to those impulses that result in death and destruction - evil.

[Kosh]

and WHY IS IT that apes do not have the capacity not to kill? Or is that a change in brain size again? Or somethign deeper, perhaps?

Mother Theresa was a beautiful person and I'm not talking about her appearance. I guess you're misinterpreting what jalazar meant by Beauty. View it in the same way you would Goodness and it'll make more sense.

Edited November 1, 2006 by Kosh

[KizlarAgha]

[quote name='Kosh' post='1107697' date='Nov 1 2006, 04:24 PM']
and WHY IS IT that apes do not have the capacity not to kill? Or is that a change in brain size again? Or somethign deeper, perhaps?
[/quote]

Largely, I think it is due to the fact that we have a much larger prefrontal cortex - an area of the brain associated with impulse control. Therefore, we have an increased capacity to control our impulses and thereby not kill.

I've heard Mother Theresa intentionally kept children in poverty so she could appear saintly. She's not really an icon of beauty for me. Plus, I think her face was asymmetrical :

Edited November 1, 2006 by KizlarAgha

[Kosh]

let me ask you another question: Why is it evil to kill someone else? From my perspective if killing my father will give me money, good for me! It's all my benefit. Why should I care otherwise? What makes "evil"?

oh, and I got to go now. be back in a half hour or so.

Edited November 1, 2006 by Kosh