Good and EvilGood and Evil

Vice and Virtue in Everyday Vice and Virtue in Everyday LifeLife

Chapter 1Chapter 1

From Cruelty to From Cruelty to Goodness, HallieGoodness, Hallie

►What is institutionalized cruelty?What is institutionalized cruelty?► It is not only physical assault.It is not only physical assault.►Assault on the dignity and self-respect Assault on the dignity and self-respect

of others.of others.►The citizens of Le Chambon as an The citizens of Le Chambon as an

example of the opposite of cruelty.example of the opposite of cruelty.

The Conscience of The Conscience of Huckleberry Finn, Huckleberry Finn,

BennettBennett

►The conflict between sympathy The conflict between sympathy and bad morality.and bad morality.

►3 Cases of Conscience: Huck Finn, 3 Cases of Conscience: Huck Finn, Heinrich Himmler, and Jonathan Heinrich Himmler, and Jonathan Edwards.Edwards.

The Conscience of The Conscience of Huckleberry FinnHuckleberry Finn

►Moral principles, moral Moral principles, moral sympathies, and moral conduct.sympathies, and moral conduct.

►The moral significance of our The moral significance of our sympathies.sympathies.

The Evil That Men ThinkThe Evil That Men Think—And Do, Hallie—And Do, Hallie

►Was Edwards really worse than Was Edwards really worse than Himmler, as Hallie argues?Himmler, as Hallie argues?

►The morality of the Walrus vs. the The morality of the Walrus vs. the morality of the Carpenter.morality of the Carpenter.

►Bennett’s theory of evil Bennett’s theory of evil overemphasizes the sympathies of the overemphasizes the sympathies of the agent, and underemphasizes the agent, and underemphasizes the central role of victims.central role of victims.

The Evil That Men ThinkThe Evil That Men Think—And Do—And Do

►Hallie’s critique of Hannah Arendt’s Hallie’s critique of Hannah Arendt’s phrase, “the banality of evil.”phrase, “the banality of evil.”

►The wholeness of evil.The wholeness of evil.

Facing the Extreme: The War of Facing the Extreme: The War of All Against All, TodorovAll Against All, Todorov

►The nature of human existence in the The nature of human existence in the concentration camps.concentration camps.

►The social contract.The social contract.►The tension between vital values and The tension between vital values and

moral values.moral values.

Strategies for Survival, Strategies for Survival, ApplebaumApplebaum

►The stories of those who survived.The stories of those who survived. Some led extraordinary lives.Some led extraordinary lives.

►Living “without pity”Living “without pity”►Ordinary virtues: caring, friendship, Ordinary virtues: caring, friendship,

dignity, the intellectual life.dignity, the intellectual life.

The Perils of Obedience, Stanley The Perils of Obedience, Stanley MilgramMilgram

► The roles of obedience and authority in our The roles of obedience and authority in our social life.social life.

► Submission to authoritySubmission to authority► The banality of evil in Milgram’s The banality of evil in Milgram’s

experimentsexperiments► Findings about authorityFindings about authority

Physical presence of experimenter.Physical presence of experimenter. Conflicting authority figures paralyzes action.Conflicting authority figures paralyzes action. Rebellion of others undermines authority.Rebellion of others undermines authority.

The Moral Insight, The Moral Insight, RoyceRoyce

►We need a clear moral insight, not We need a clear moral insight, not moral sympathy.moral sympathy.

►The moral insight:The moral insight: My neighbor is a Self.My neighbor is a Self. My neighbor and my own future self.My neighbor and my own future self.

Billy Budd, MelvilleBilly Budd, Melville►The killing of Claggart by Billy Budd.The killing of Claggart by Billy Budd.►Billy did not intend to kill Claggart.Billy did not intend to kill Claggart.►The position of Captain Vere: we must The position of Captain Vere: we must

adhere to and administer the law, adhere to and administer the law, even when our hearts would have us even when our hearts would have us do otherwise.do otherwise.

Beyond Good and Evil, Beyond Good and Evil, NietzscheNietzsche

►The herd instinct of obedience.The herd instinct of obedience.►Life is the will to power.Life is the will to power.►Master-morality vs. Slave-moralityMaster-morality vs. Slave-morality►““Egoism belongs to the essence of a Egoism belongs to the essence of a

noble soul.” (p. 58)noble soul.” (p. 58)►Christianity is a fatal and seductive lie, Christianity is a fatal and seductive lie,

because it embodies a “morality of because it embodies a “morality of paltry people.”paltry people.”