Are there evil people or only evil acts?

“I can guarantee that someone in the world thinks you are evil. Do you eat meat? Do you work in banking? Do you have a child out of wedlock? You will find that things that seem normal to you don't seem normal to others, and might even be utterly reprehensible. Perhaps we are all evil. Or, perhaps none of us are.”

– Julia Shaw, Evil: The Science Behind Humanity's Dark Side

Earlier this month, Science magazine and Fondation Ipsen co-sponsored a webinar on Impulses, intent, and the science of evil. “Can research into humankind’s most destructive inclinations help us become better people?”

It's freely available on demand. Let the controversy commence...


Are There Evil People or Only Evil Acts?

Moderator (Sean Sanders, Ph.D. Science/AAAS):  “... How do we define evil? ... Are there evil people or only evil acts?”

In brief, Dr. Abigail Marsh said no, there are absolutely not evil people; Dr. David Brucato mostly agreed with that; and Dr. Michael Stone gave an elaborate example using an offensive term ("gay pedophile" – as if anyone would refer to a male pedophile who targets little girls as a "straight pedophile").

Dr. Marsh was not amused...

More detail below.

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