(August 25, 2022 at 3:09 pm)The Grand Nudger Wrote: Correct, harm is not identical to evil. As I said, I think evil takes harm and malice.
That you think you haven't harmed your spouse by cheating on her, provided she never finds out - is yet another difference between our moral views. Boy howdy, I'm glad you might get some enjoyment out of it, though!
This devilish pleasure might be fine between men, I get this. But I am prepared to bet that many married women regard this act as horrendously evil, or maybe the most evil act imaginable.
(August 25, 2022 at 3:09 pm)The Grand Nudger Wrote: Sure. The unfaithful husband has harmed his wife the very moment he violated her trust. Evil? Probably not...most cheaters aren't in it to hurt their spouse. Some are, though, and that's pretty heinous.
Again, many people will disagree with your assessment here, and indeed consider cheating (even in the absence of malicious intent) to be inherently evil.
(August 25, 2022 at 3:09 pm)The Grand Nudger Wrote: But pause for a second. Why on earth do you think any of these questions would be stumpers? How could I stumble my way through mundane existence navigating these very real concerns without any awareness or consideration of them whatsoever? It's absurd.
I am aware that my example isn't exactly a knockout argument against moral realism, but at least it scratches the surface : even in the absence of harm or malice, there are acts that can properly be regarded as evil.