Ignorance vs. Evil....

      As promised, if I ever came across some idea that refused to leave until expressed, I would add it to this blog. So this is it. It's a debate that has been raging since the sprouting of human intellect so naturally I would be attracted to it.
      Perhaps someone somewhere has definitively settled this argument. But since I can't possibly travel in all circles, I have no way of knowing if these ideas have been put out there before to these conclusions.
       The questions "what is the nature of evil?" and "to what extent does ignorance play into it?" are the crux of this debate. First we need to define these. The first is obviously the biggest matter for debate. Maybe someone will disagree with me, but I will give you my take on it.
      I feel on fairly solid ground as far as agreeing with other humans in general that evil is "selfishness" or self-centeredness, which is a function of ego. But I agree with most  that it is not just selfishness which results in suffering for others, but causing that suffering intentionally for one's own gain.
     Many will say "with full knowledge that those actions may or will cause suffering for others". And here is where ignorance enters the picture.
      So what is ignorance? I am prepared to define ignorance as "the inability to recognize the full extent of the real situation, otherwise known as "reality". If you've read my other posts, you know we all fall into this category. No human knows the full extent of reality, though some of us are closer than others, I like to think.
      But we are speaking relatively. If one needs to recognize the full extent of his actions in order to be classified as an "evil-doer", then this brings up several questions. But allow me to cut thru all the nonsense; this was never meant to be a thesis in logic a la Plato.
     Just as in geometry or philosophy, one can construct a flawless theorem or thesis that has no basis in reality and in fact cannot exist in reality, in the same way intellectual understanding without "caring" or connection with the heart is a house of cards. In that sense one cannot be said to be in touch with reality.
     So does this let you off the hook? You're not evil because you "knew" your actions would hurt others, but didn't truly feel the reality of it? This presumption is certain to anger the human race in general. Does ignorance lessen the suffering of those on the receiving end or the desire to put a stop to the source? Hardly.
     So we're speaking on a strictly philosophical basis. What you do with the conclusions are up to you.
But ignorance it is. Not only because of a lack of "true understanding" (caring) about the effects upon your victims, but because one is not taking into account how this will damage yourself or your own life both in the short term and the long...Ignorance this is, indisputably.
   We're talking a psychological disconnect here, humans who aren't whole acting against other humans. In some cases the perpetrators are driven by compulsions so strong that any real understanding of those effects are overwhelmed to the point of not even figuring in to that persons actions.
      Does this change how we deal with such people? Beats me. That's one I've not yet been able to answer. So please don't assume I'm on some crusade to pamper criminals or abolish the death penalty. That's not my goal, nor is it in my realm of expertise. Perhaps if I could answer that question it would become so.