Good and evil
Engineer Shafi Ahmed, London, UK
Although by virtue of value judgments learned from religious or moral teachings and our own experience in life, we have a sense of what actions are good and what actions are bad , there is no standard test to determine this.In elementary physics if a magnetic south pole attract another magnet we cannot conclusively say that the attracted pole must be a North Pole as it may well be that the attracted pole is another weaker south pole. So the sure test in only a repelling test i.e. that "opposite poles repel" and attraction signify nothing about the nature of magnetic polarity. Similarly, in logic or philosophy we have no sure test of knowing what is true, but we have one way of knowing what is false by contradiction of evidence or arguments. Obtaining guidance from these techniques, as a practical engineer I have developed a sure-fire test of knowing what is 'evil' in society, but no such test can be developed for finding 'good'. The test is as follows: To determine whether an action is evil apply the action theoretically on yourself, on your goods, or on your dear ones. If you then feel sad and unhappy , the action is evil. For instance take 'theft'. If someone steals your belongings then you would be unhappy, which proves theft is an evil act. And note although such stealing makes the thief happy, the act does not become good but remains evil. By applying such a test systematically on various actions the society may determine the evils in society and then remove them one by one to arrive at what remains as 'good' as a residual process. Trying to positively 'do good' is counterproductive in the long run, and many evils in modern society are caused by the short-sighted 'do-gooders'. If everyone applies this sure test to identify evil and then refrains from such action, man and society will remain inherently good, and that is all that is necessary. To try to do more may be self-defeating. The ten commandments given to Prophet Moses (pbuh) by Allah were all stated in such negative terms as "Thou shall not steal" etc and these stand out to corroborate the residual nature of good in society, after evil is subtracted out. That is, 'good' (again with very few exceptions like prayer etc) cannot be achieved by direct cognizance or action, although a particular action might make one feel happy and good.
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