GOOD and evil DRAFT

I once heard the late Christian Apologist (A person who presents arguments for the existence of God) Ravi Zacharias say that when he talked to “young” people, many of them would initially deny the existence of a deity, but none of them denied the existence of evil.  Zacharias would then go to argue that both Good and Evil cannot exist without a God.  I bring this up, not in an attempt to sway you toward or away from religion, but to point out that these questions are still being asked, investigated, and argued. For many living people these are the important questions. And from our readings it is clear that questions of right and wrong were important to the writer of the Iliad and the Inferno. For this 5 page paper, I would like you to investigate the concepts of right and wrong and relate them to our readings. Feel free to use the terms Good and Evil or right and wrong, or all four.  What is Good and What is Evil?  What does it mean to DO Good? What does it mean to DO Evil? You can think of the two previous questions in relationship to others, as well as to one’s self. Are there qualities in common that DOERS of Evil possess?  Are there qualities in common that DOERS of Good possess?  Use evidence from both texts to support your answer.

Good and Evil

The concepts of good and evil or right and wrong have been debated throughout human history. 
Arguments surrounding those concepts have led to the question of whether good and evil truly 
exist. The interpretations surrounding the concepts of good and evil have further complicated 
the matter, particularly in ethics, religion, psychology, and philosophy, where such interpretations 
are diverse. All the same, all the four fields, religion, ethics, psychology, and philosophy, view 
good and evil from the same perspective. That is to say; they are in agreement that good and 
evil are right and wrong respectively and that doing what is good means doing what is 
acceptable, while doing evil is involving oneself in what is unacceptable (Taylor, 2013). Also, the 
religious, ethicists, philosophers, and psychologists agree that those who do evil possess 
common qualities, and those who indulge in good deeds also share a lot in common. Generally, 
this shows that the concepts of right and wrong are human constructs. To be precise, they are 
not limited to religion, ethics, or any other field. This paper investigates the general concepts of 
good and evil, right and wrong. YOUR INTRODUCTION DOESN’T REALLY PREPARE YOUR 
READER FOR YOUR PAPER. INSTEAD OF TALKING ABOUT WHAT OTHERS HAVE TALKED 
ABOUT AND WHAT OTHER GROUPS OF PEOPLE THINK GOOD AND EVIL ARE, INSTEAD TALK 
ABOUT HOW YOU DEFINE GOOD AND EVIL AND HOW YOU SEE THOSE DEFINITIONS WORKING 
IN THE TEXTS THAT WE READ AS A CLASS. 

Defining Good-Evil 

Taylor (2013) defines “good’ as a lack of self-centeredness. In other words, good is the ability to 
show compassion or empathize with other people. By being good, one sacrifices their wellbeing 
for the sake of others. In other words, good is about prioritizing others’ interests as opposed to 
putting individual interests first. Taylor asserts that ‘good’ concerns altruism, benevolence, 
self-centeredness, and self-sacrifice aimed at a greater cause (2013). EVERY SENTENCE IN 
THIS PARAGRAPH SHOULD BE CITED. REARANGING THE AUTHOR’S WORDS AND 
PRESENTING THEM AS YOUR OWN IS PLAGIARISM. INSTEAD OF USING SOMEONE ELSE’S 

IDEAS ABOUT WHAT GOOD AND EVIL IS, IT WOULD BE FAR MORE WORTHWHILE TO CREAT 
YOUR OWN DEFINITIONS. 

On the other hand, evil refers to the lack of empathy. To be specific, evil is an aspect of being 
wicked or immoral. In a nutshell, evil is the opposite of good. Therefore, people who involve 
themselves in wicked or sinful acts cannot empathize with other people (Taylor, 2013). 
Specifically, evil people prioritize their own needs and desires instead of other people’s needs 
and desires. As such, they are self-centered. 

What it means to do Good or Evil 

To do good, as mentioned above, is to be compassionate or empathetic to others. It is to be 
morally upright, having high standards of decency, being welcoming and pleasing. Moreover, to 
do good is to be gentle, selfless, benevolent, and kind (Hasa, 2017). Also, it is to put the interests 
of others before personal interests. Doing charity work, helping someone in need, and helping a 
jobless person with employment are examples of good actions. WHY ARE YOU DEFING GOOD 
AGAIN? 

Meanwhile, to do evil, as noted earlier, is to do the opposite of good. As Hasa notes, doing evil is 
to do something harmful to other people (2017). It is to be selfish, immoral, and wicked. Rape, 
murder, robbery, violence, cruelty, and adultery are examples of evil actions (Hasa, 2017). IS 
WHY ARE YOU REDEFINING THESE TERMS 

Good and evil concepts are not restricted to a certain area like religion, ethics or philosophy. In 
fact, good and evil are human constructs that also have nothing to do with a deity. In other 
words, good and evil are not determined by a god or religion. This can be attributed to the fact 
that good and evil might have been in existence long before religion and gods were discovered. 

It is imperative to note that areas such as religion have only formalized ethical codes of conduct 
that already existed prior to religion and gods’ birth. I DON’T SEE THIS HELPING YOUR 
ARGUMENT 

According to the Iliad and the Inferno writers, right and wrong are concepts of human notions of 
morality and ethics (Classical Literature, n.d., Hollander, 2000). In Iliad, Homer presents the 
ancient Greek people’s gods as bad (Classical Literature, n.d.). Unlike the deity of the 
Judeo-Christian and Islamic religions that are presented as good, Greek gods in Homer’s The 
Iliad are unwise and imprudent. They are deceitful, vain, and unpredictable. WHERE DO YOU SEE 
THIS ? CITE There are good and evil deities or gods in the Judeo-Christian religions, represented 
by God and Satan. This demonstrates that deities may not determine good and evil. HOW DOES 
IT DO THAT ? 

Fundamentally, good and evil are not as absolute as they may seem to be. To be precise, both 
are relative and vigorous and are prone to changes and adaptation at different times. Also, good 
and evil vary, often considerably, between diverse peoples and or cultures. Therefore, the 
concepts of right and wrong and doing good or evil are determined by communal existence 
instead of philosophical principles, a deity, or religious teachings. Accordingly, as a community 
creates and develops the practices and customs that define right and wrong, such practices are 
construed to be essential for the moral order that defines what should be acceptable and 
unacceptable behavior. INSTEAD OF SAYING THIS YOU NEED TO SHOW WHERE YOU SEE IT IN 
THE texts that we read. 

According to Homer, there are no permanently designed people to be good and others evil 
(Classical Literature, n.d.). <-IS THIS A QUOTE ? (YOU NEED TO REDO THIS CITATION, THE LINK  DOES NOT WORK.) Indeed, we have also witnessed situations in which a person does right at  some point and later engages in unacceptable behavior. In Homer's The Iliad, Achilleus and  Hektor cannot be said to be good or evil (Classical Literature, n.d.). It is uncommon to  characterize a person as neither a good one nor an evil one. This is because an individual may  choose to do the right thing today and do the wrong thing tomorrow. This proves that both good  and evil are dynamic and relative as well. 

I believe that people, including myself, are likely to behave in either way. Often, when egocentric 
impulses force us to prioritize our own needs, we may do evil things. However, when 

compassion and sympathy compel us to put our needs aside and prioritize the needs and 
desires of others, we may do ‘good’. THIS SOUNDS LIKE YOU ARE CONCLUDING 

Common Qualities among Evil Doers 

Evildoers share a lot in common. All evildoers, including the corrupt serial killers and or 
murderers, thieves, dictators, and rapists, share the same characteristics. Particularly, evildoers 
are selfish people. They pursue self-interests. They pursue gains such as material wealth, 
recognition in society, occupational achievements, happiness, and social status. WHERE DO 
YOU SEE THIS IN THE TEXTS WE READ? Also, evildoers are sadists and egoists who are 
excessively concerned with their pleasure or benefits at others’ expense. According to Taylor 
(2013), evildoers are selfish, narcissistic, and self-absorbing. If people attempt to show 
selflessness towards other people, they do so only to fulfill their own needs, not because they 
are compassionate. That is to say; evildoers can only value others when they want to exploit 
them or satisfy their own needs and desires (Taylor, 2013). 

WHY IS THIS A NEW PARAGRAPH ? They are not in a position to sense other people’s feelings 
or emotions. They view other people as objects; hence, their sufferings do not matter to them as 
long as they (evildoers) achieve their goals. In general, their most common trait is an inability to 
be kind to others. 

Also, evil people want to control others and or everything. Specifically, all evil people want to be 
in charge of everything. WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS IN THE TEXTS ? They want to have their way 
and are prepared to do anything to ensure that they have succeeded. In this regard, they will 
manipulate other people and situations to achieve their will (Hollander, 2000). Furthermore, 

evildoers conceal their true colors. One may not likely know that a person is bad until they have 
acted. They are mean and seldom take responsibility for their evil actions. 

Common Qualities among Good Doers 

Meanwhile, good people also share many common traits. For instance, they are compassionate. 
Generally, good people show empathy toward others. After all, empathy is the most attribute of 
‘good’ and good people. Also, good people are selfless. WHERE DO YOU SEE THIS IN THE 
TEXTS? That is to say, people who do ‘good’ are ever concerned with the interests of others. 
Their concerns never come first. As noted earlier, the doers of good are even ready to sacrifice 
their happiness and satisfaction for others’ sake. 

Conclusion 

Overall, the concepts of good and evil are not fixed. This means that an individual can develop 
empathy or lose it; thus, becoming good or evil, respectively. Importantly, as discussed in this 
paper, right and wrong concepts are not determined by deities or any particular field such as 
religion or philosophy. Humans – people and or cultures determine the idea of right and wrong. 
Good or right is associated with the values or qualities of empathy, selflessness, and 
self-sacrifice. Nevertheless, evil or wrong is associated with a lack of empathy, selfishness, and 
other vices. 

References 

Classical Literature. (n.d.). The Iliad – Homer – Poem. Retrieved from 
http://www.ancient-literature.com/greece_homer-iliad-html THIS LINK DOES NOT WORK 

Hasa. (2017). Difference between good and evil. Retrieved from 
https://www.differencebetween.com/differences-between-good-and-vs-evil/ 

Hollander, R. (2000). Note on inferno I: In Robert and Jean Hollander, trans., The inferno by 
Dante. New York: Random House. 

Taylor, S. (2013). The real meaning of ‘good’ and ‘evil’. Retrieved from 
https://www.psychologytoday.com/us/blog/out-the-darkness/201308/the-real-meaning-good-a
nd-evil 

FIRST AND FOREMOST, YOU MUST ENSURE THAT YOU USE QUOTES WHEN YOU ARE USING 
PEOPLE’S EXACT WORDS. SECOND, WHEN YOU ARE PARAPHRASING WHAT THEY SAY, YOU 
MUST ALSO PROVIDE A CITAITON. 

ONCE YOU HAVE COMPLETELY DONE THOSE TWO THINGS, YOU MUST TALK ABOUT THE 
TEXTS WE READ AS A CLASS IN EACH OF YOUR BODY PARAGRPAHS. THE PURPOSE OF THE 
PAPER WASN’T TO SPEAK ABOUT GOOD AN EVIL IN GENERAL BUT TO DEMONSTRATE HOW 
YOU SEE THE CONCEPTS PRESENTING THEMSELVES IN THE LITERATURE WE READ. THIS IS, 
AFTER ALL, A LITERATURE CLASS. 

202103_ENG_205_KNA 

https://moodle.essex.edu/course/view.php?id=55236

Data retention summary 

For those of you still struggling:

Here is a possible outline you could use to help you.  

INTRO: GOOD AND EVIL CAN BE SEEN IN THE TEXTS OF Iliad and The Inferno 

thesis: something like GOOD AND EVIL can be defined.  

1​ST​ BODY DEFINE GOOD . 

FIND AN EXAMPLE FROM EITHER TEXT THAT EXEMPLIFIES GOOD . 

EXPLAIN WHY THAT EXAMPLE IS POWERFUL/ MEANINGFUL WHY IT IS INTERESTING   

2​ND​ BODY PARAGRAPH  

DEFINE EVIL 

https://moodle.essex.edu/admin/tool/dataprivacy/summary.php

FIND AN EXAMPLE FROM EITHER TEXT THAT EXEMPLIFIES EVIL . 

EXPLAIN WHY THAT EXAMPLE IS POWERFUL/ MEANINGFUL WHY IT IS INTERESTING   
  

3RD BODY PARAGRPAH 

WHAT ARE SOME ATTRIBUTES OF EVIL ? 

IN OTHER WORDS YOU DEFINED EVIL , MAYBE IT’S BAD, MAYBE IT’S THE OPPOSITE OF GOOD, 
BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO A PERSON WHEN THEY COMMIT AN EVIL ACT? WHAT IF THEY KEEP 
DOING THE EVIL THING? DO THEY FEEL BAD , GUILTY ? ARE THEY MORE LIKELY TO COMMIT 
MORE EVIL ACTS? PICK SOMETHING PARTICULARLY EVIL, SUCH AS MURDER OR TORTURE. 
FIND AN EXAMPLE FROM ONE OF THE TEXTS TO ANALYZE. 

4​TH​ BODY PARAGRAPH 

FURTHER ANALYSIS OF THE ATTRIBUTES OF EVIL 

DOES EVIL LITERALLY INFECT OTHER PEOPLE ? IF A PERSON HURTS SOMEONE 
DELIBERATELY IN AN AWFUL WAY, IS THAT PERSON THE SAME? IS THEIR HAPPINESS 
AFFECTED. DOES EVIL MAKE THE WORLD A WORSE PLACE? FIND AN EXAMPLE FROM ONE OF 
THE TEXTS TO ANALYZE. 

5​TH​ BODY PARAGRAPH 

WHAT ARE SOME ATTRIBUTES OF GOOD? 

IN OTHER WORDS YOU DEFINED GOOD, MAYBE IT’S NOT BAD, MAYBE IT’S THE OPPOSITE OF 
EVIL, BUT WHAT HAPPENS TO A PERSON WHEN THEY COMMIT AN ACT OF GOOD? WHAT IF 
THEY KEEP DOING THE GOOD THINGS? WILL THEY START TO FEEL BETTER ABOUT 
THEMSELVES? IS THE WORLD AFFECT IN A POSSITIVE WAY? FIND AN EXAMPLE FROM ONE 
OF THE TEXTS TO ANALYZE. 

CONCLUSION: 

WHY IS IT IMPORTANT TO KNOW EACH OF THESE POINTS ?   

paragraph 1 point   

paragraph 2 point 

paragraph 3 point   

paragraph 4 point 

paragraph 5 point   

make a general point about understanding good and evil