Good And Evil: The Dual Nature of Man Analytical Essay by Nicky

Good And Evil: The Dual Nature of Man
This a short analytical piece on the notion of good and evil as seen through various literary and religious works.
# 148876 | 1,496 words | 5 sources | APA | 2011 | US
Published on Nov 12, 2011 in Literature (English) , Religion and Theology (General) , Ethics (General)


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Description:

This is an analytical paper that looks at the notion of good and evil. The paper begins with an analysis of Robert Louis Stevenson's book "Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde" and the literary reference there to how we act as people. Continuing with the theme of dualist nature, the writer then looks at various portions of the Koran and also provides a psychological standpoint for such dualism in morality. The writer concludes with a biblical metaphor to as good and evil acting as a force of God to separate the beasts from the humans.

From the Paper:

"From a psychological standpoint, good and evil could be described as emotional entities that exist within the human subconscious mind in the form of the human soul. Of course, when a person expresses either good or evil emotions or acts upon something in a good or evil way, most researchers would agree that these two entities are based upon chemistry and biology, meaning that they only exist as chemical action and reaction in the human brain (Peterson, 2004, p. 215). In essence then, good and evil are nothing more than emotionally-based attitudes that rise to the surface via the subconscious mind when a person is confronted with certain decisions, i.e., whether to act/react in a morally good way or an evil way.
"However, in the opinion of religious theologians, good and evil as they occur in man are directly related to the eternal struggle of God against the forces of evil, with Satan serving as the propagator of evil and God as the divine goodness of the universe. In some respects, good and evil is inseparable from intent; thus, "Defining good and evil by purpose or intention permits one to know good and evil even when the result is not visible" ("Good and Evil," 2009, Internet), meaning that a person's intentions are sometimes hidden, especially when intention springs from evil thoughts and desires."

Sample of Sources Used:

  • Dawood, N.J., trans. (2003). The Koran. New York: Penguin books.
  • "Good and Evil." (2009). World Scripture. Internet. Retrieved May 28, 2009 from http://www.unification.net/ws/theme058.htm.
  • "On Good and Evil." (2009). Bahai Topics. Internet. Retrieved May 28, 2009 from http://info.bahai.org/article-1-4-0-9.html.
  • Peterson, Michael D. (2004). "The foundations of human good and evil." American Psychological Association Bulletin. 25 (2): 234-243.
  • Williams, Derek, ed. (1989). The New Concise Bible Encyclopedia. Oxford, UK:Lion Publishing.

Cite this Analytical Essay:

APA Format

Good And Evil: The Dual Nature of Man (2011, November 12) Retrieved June 04, 2023, from https://www.academon.com/analytical-essay/good-and-evil-the-dual-nature-of-man-148876/

MLA Format

"Good And Evil: The Dual Nature of Man" 12 November 2011. Web. 04 June. 2023. <https://www.academon.com/analytical-essay/good-and-evil-the-dual-nature-of-man-148876/>

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