Good and evil

High school (ages 12+)
Philosophy & Big Questions

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/good-and-evil

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the philosophical stances?Debates include moral realism (objective truths) versus moral relativism (subjective constructs)
2. What is the historical dualism?Ancient Zoroastrianism presented a clear cosmic struggle between good and evil deities
3. What does "good" mean in stories and real life?Good means doing things that help people feel happy, safe, and respected, like being kind, honest, and fair.
4. What is "evil" and how is it different from bad?Evil is when someone intentionally hurts others or causes suffering, like being cruel or lying to make people suffer.

Moral Realism: The philosophical view that moral facts and judgments are objectively true.
Moral Relativism: The view that moral judgments are true or false only relative to some particular standpoint.
The Banality of Evil: Hannah Arendt's concept describing how ordinary people can commit evil deeds without being inherently evil.