Does good increase in the world, or just the laws?

[Rader]

Does "good" increase in the world or do the laws we make, make it appear that way?

A schoolgirl hit me with this question today and I thought it was a unique way of looking at the world. What say yee?

 

[dekoi]

Awkward question. :/

I am tempted to say that good does in fact increase by means of order. But i am still sceptical of how to explain it.

 

[abitofnothingleft]

personally, i'd have to say its a bit of both. the laws deter people from taking legal matters into their own hands, but also people tend to help others out a little more. if a person needs directions (an example given earlier somewhere in this forum) , or if someone opens a door for someone else, they are being nice. so i guess you could look at both adding to the good we have in society.

 

[selfAdjoint]

I think that comfortable society encourages good action and discourages bad ones. But let that comfort be threatened, and bad rises up. It is never done away with. Who in 1994 would have supposed the US in 2004 would be having a debate about whether to use torture?

 

[Ludwig]

Does "good" increase in the world or do the laws we make, make it appear that way?

Both. To increase "good" in the world people and the laws need to change. After all, laws are as good as the people who make and enforce them.

 

[abitofnothingleft]

I think that comfortable society encourages good action and discourages bad ones.

how many people actually feel very comfortable because of society though?

 

[hitssquad]

Is goodness conventionally defined really cooperative hedonism

I think that comfortable society encourages good action and discourages bad ones.

Do you, when you refer to good action, mean cooperatively hedonistic action?