and another person is good,

又另外定義怎麼樣叫做好人，

or that a certain thing that happens to us

或者有一件事發生在我們身上

is a bad thing,

有可能是壞事，

while another is a good thing

但同時，另一件是好事

But how do we determine

但我們到底是從什麼角度、用什麼方法

when a person or thing

去定義好人、好事，

is bad or good?

抑或是壞事、壞人呢?

And, is there anything at all

另外，有沒有什麼事情

that is absolutely good or bad?

是徹底的好或者壞嗎?

What is the essence of good and bad?

好、壞的本質又是什麼呢?

What determines them?

是什麼將他們一分為二?

In this video, you will find answer

在今天的影片中，你會獲得一些對於以上問題的解釋

to these questions, and much more…

而且更多背後的原因

We can easily see that when something happens to us

我們很容易就能發現，如果發生在我們身上的事情

which serves our interests,

會替我們帶來利益，

our goals or desires,

或者符合我們的理想以及願望，

we call it a good thing.

就會被我們稱為一件好事

For example, when we earn money

舉例來說，當我們賺到錢的時候，

we say it is good because there is a part of us

我們就會認為這是一件好事，

that has a goal or a desire to earn money.

因為我們本來就有部分目標和慾望是要去賺錢

When something happens

但相反的，如果有一件事情發生在我們身上，

that goes against our desires or goals,

並且違反我們的信念或是意志，

we call it a bad thing.

我們就會說這是一件壞事

For example, someone calls me an idiot,

舉例來說，如果有人說我是笨蛋，

and as a result, I get offended.

我因此感覺到被侵犯

It hurts.

因為這句話很傷人

Like everyone else I have the interest

就像其他人一樣，

to feel good and avoid suffering.

我們都喜歡保持心情愉悅，避免麻煩事

Therefore, for me,

也因此，對我而言，

it is bad when someone calls me an idiot.

如果有人罵我笨蛋是一件壞事

It is against what I wish for.

因為這跟我自己的想法是相馳的

It is important for me to note

我認為我需要特別的去強調

that when I use the term "goal"

我在使用「目標」這個字的用意

I don't refer only to a conscious goal

我不僅僅指那些，

that someone defines for himself,

大家如何定義、期許自己的那種意識性目標，

but also to any desire, need or interest,

而是有關於欲望、需求，或者利益，

whether conscious or unconscious,

且無論意識性、或非意識性的，

of his entire being

關於他自身的福祉，

or only of a part of it.

或是對他自身的小確幸

When we say that a certain person is bad,

當我們定義一個人為壞人的同時，

it is because he behaves in a way

是因為他們的行為舉止、

or does something

所作所為

that goes against our own interests.

都不符合我們自己的利益

It is easy for us to understand that

因此，我們也就不難理解

we say that a thief is bad

為什麼我們會認為小偷妨礙社會秩序了

since we fear he will steal our property.

因為，我們擔心他竊取的會是自己的財產

But, what about a thief

但是，

on the other side of the globe?

如果是一個和自己隔了大半個地球的小偷呢?

Surely we do not fear he will steal our property,

我們當然不必擔心自己的財產會被他偷走，

but nonetheless, we say he is a bad person.

無論如何，我們還是會將他定義為一個壞人

Do our definitions of bad and good

在這個例子當中，

in this case

我們對於好與壞的定義標準，

transcend our personal interest?...

仍然建立在個人的利益之上嗎?

Not really.

其實不一定

If we observed ourselves carefully,

如果我們仔細的觀察自己，

we would see that in this example,

我們會發現在這樣類似的情況下，

we have a specific interest.

我們會有特定的立場

For example, we may feel compassion

舉例來說，我們可能會對於大部分的人，

towards people in general,

投以同情心，

and we don't want anybody to suffer.

因此我們也不希望有其他人會受害

In this case, our interest, our goal, is to prevent suffering,

在這個定義下，我們的利益、目標，是要防止壞事的發生，

and therefore, anyone who performs an act

因此，只要有人做出，

which goes against this cause,

違反這個原則的行為，

that is, creates suffering,

也就是說，製造麻煩的行為，

as in the case of stealing,

例如上面例子的偷竊行為，

is bad for us.

對我們都沒有益處

Or we might have a moral belief

又或者，我們可能有自己的道德信念，

that one must not steal,

認為人就不應該偷竊，

and we want all people to behave that way.

我們也希望所有人都可以好好遵守這樣的規則

In this case, we have an interest, a need,

在這個定義之下，我們有一種利益、信念，

that all people would act according to our belief,

希望所有人的行為都符合自己的期待，

and we perceive any action of any person

因此我們會認為，任何人的行為只要違背我們的信念

that goes against our belief, as bad.

就是不好的

If we really didn't care at all about stealing,

如果我們真的疫點都不在乎偷竊行為，

we would not call someone who steals a bad man.

我們就不會說小偷是一個壞人

Just as we don't call a man eating lettuce,

就像我們不會無緣無故就說一個正在吃萵苣的人

a bad man, for example.

是一個壞人

We have no interest, neither personal nor general,

我們沒有任何利益、不管是個人性，抑或普遍以來

that the act of eating lettuce contradicts

是和吃萵苣這個行為相牴觸的

Even though the lettuce itself

就算那顆萵苣

might have an interest not to be eaten.

自己可能不會有想被吃掉的欲望

Think of the leader of your country.

現在想想你們國家的領導人

You might think he is a bad leader because

你或許會覺得他施政成績不是很令你滿意，

he has raised taxes which shrink your income,

因為他提高稅率，也就是減少你的收入，

Or because he invests the state resources in industry,

又可能是因為，他將國家資源都投資在工業中，

while you think it should be invested in education.

但你認為你們的教育系統應該要改善

But from the personal perspective of this leader

但就這個領導人自己，

and the perspectives of the people who support him,

以及支持他的人眼裡，

he is a very good leader.

他是一位很好的領導人

For them, he raises taxes to balance the state's budget

對他們而言，提高稅率的行為，

and to prevent a financial crisis,

讓國家能夠收支平衡，避免財政危機，

and he invests in industry to create more Jobs.

投資工業的行為也創造了工作機會

So, is he a good leader or a bad leader?

那麼，他究竟是為好、或壞領導者呢?

Is he a good man or a bad man?

是一為廣得民心，或是名聲掃地的人呢?

I hope that now it is clear enough for you

我希望講解到這裡，你的心裡已經有譜

that what makes us determine

我們決定

whether a certain person is good or bad

一個人好壞的標準，

is only our personal perspective,

完全只是建立在個人觀點、

based on our interests, goals, values, needs, beliefs and desires.

利益、目標、價值觀、需求、信念，以及我們的欲望

This means, that there isn't such a thing

也就是說，每件事情都有正反面，

as absolute good or bad.

沒有什麼是絕對的

The good and the bad are always relative.

好與壞永遠都是相互影響的

Q: "Wait, wait,

Q:「等一下!

is there no thing that is bad in its essence?

難道就沒有什麼是在本質上就是錯的嗎?

What about killing?

殺生呢?

Killing must be an absolute bad!"

殺生絕對是錯的啊!」

Well, let's look into it…

那麼，我們就來探討這個問題吧.....

If killing is absolutely bad, then eating meat is bad.

如果殺生是錯誤的行為，那麼吃肉就是不好的

This means all predators are bad,

這也就代表所有肉食性動物都錯的，

not to mention the animals killing plants…

更不用說那些「殺害」植物的動物了......

Even if we limit our examination only to the killing of people,

就算我們把範圍限縮在「殺人」這個議題，

can we say that killing as an act of self-defense is bad?

我們能說基於自我防衛而殺人是不對的嗎?

Can we say that euthanasia or abortions are always bad,

我們可以說，無論在怎麼樣的情況下，

no matter what the circumstances?

安樂死和墮胎都是錯的嗎?

Don't get me wrong, I do not say these things are good, or bad.

不要誤會，我沒有說這些事是好是壞

I simply wish to demonstrate that even killing

我只不過試圖要解釋，

is not necessarily something which is absolutely bad.

就算是殺生也不完完全全是一件壞事

The same is true for what is good.

相反的，對「好」也是如此

Is there anything that is absolutely good,

有什麼東西，在任何情況、觀點下

regardless of the circumstances or different points of view?

都是對的嗎?

Think about your country, and imagine that it has the perfect leader.

想想你自己的國家，再想像假如現在你們有一個睿智的領導人

A man who honestly wants to do good for others.

他很誠實，誠心誠意希望能改善這個社會

Can you think of a single thing he could do,

你可以想到有一個政策，

which everybody would think was good?

會被全部的人民認為是好的嗎?

Even if he performed a simple act, such as

就算是他做了一個小小的、簡單的行為，

helping an old lady cross the street,

譬如幫助一個老婦人過馬路，

there would be those who would complain and say it is bad.

還是會有人覺得這是一件無聊、不好的行為

They may say:

他們可能會說：

"he should spend his time on more important things",

「他應該要把時間花在更重要的事情上才對啊」，

or: "It's really a shame he didn't carry her bags".

或是「他應該要幫她拿包包啊!」

Can you find anything that is absolutely good or bad?

你能找到有什麼事完全是好，或是壞嗎?

If you do, please write it in the comments.

如果你找的到，請你留言告訴我

I haven't found such a thing yet.

我自己是從來還沒找到這樣全面性的事情

Therefore, this is my conclusion:

因此，我的結論是：

The good and the bad, in themselves, do not exist.

本質上來說，每件事都不存在好或壞

The good and the bad exist only in relation to a goal, an interest.

好、壞是伴隨目標、利益而來

Q: "Wait a minute,

Q：「等一下，

even if I accept that the interest

就算我接受你這個想法，

is what determines if a thing is good or bad,

也認為是利益決定事物的好壞，

how can you explain the fact that there are things

你又要怎麼解釋，

that are both good and bad at the same time?

有時候好壞是同時存在的?

For example,

舉例來說，

eating a bucket of Ice-cream is good.

吃一桶冰淇淋會讓我覺得特別開心

There is nothing better.

沒有什麼能比過它

But at the same time it is bad,

然而，同時，

because it makes me fat and unhealthy".

我會因此變胖，甚至不健康」

Okay,

好吧，

in order to understand this contradiction

為了理解這樣的矛盾，

we need to re-examine the thing which we call "I".

我們必須再重新檢視「我」的定義

Most often we think of ourselves as a single entity,

大部分的時候，我們都把自己當成一個獨立個體，

because we have one name, one body and one brain.

因為我們有自己的名字、身體、以及大腦

Yet this brain hosts a huge number of different mental entities,

然而我們的大腦又由許多不同的觀點組成，

having different world views and different interests

讓我們對每件事有各種不同的看法

that are sometimes are even contradictory.

有時候甚至是自相矛盾的

Do you really think that the part of us

難道你覺得

that wants to eat

愛吃東西的自己，

and the part of us that wants to lose weight

跟想要減肥的自己，

are the same part?

是從大腦中同一個部位生成的嗎?

In fact, if I do something,

事實上，假設我現在做了一件事，

it is just because the part of me

不過是因為有一部分

that perceives this thing as good,

認為這件事是好的我，

is stronger than the one that perceives it as bad

至少在那個當下

at least at a specific moment.

是比持有相反意見的我還要強勢罷了

The interest to do something must be stronger

我們想去做某件事的意願，

than the interest not to do it.

必須比不去作的意願還要強烈

Otherwise, we wouldn't do it.

否則，我們根本就不會去執行

You might as well say that I, my entire being,

你可能也會說，我，全部的我，

do a certain thing

做一件事僅僅是因為

only if I see it as more good than bad.

我認為它的好處大於壞處

This leads us to a very interesting conclusion.

但這會讓我們得到一個耐人尋味的結論

We are not capable of doing the bad.

我們沒有能力去做壞事

We can only do the good as we understand it.

我們只能做我們認為是好事的事情

Q: "wait a minute…

Q:「咦..等一下....

what about criminals, people who steal or kill?

那罪犯呢? 又偷又搶又殺呢?

Even they don't think they are doing bad things?"

難道他們不覺得自己做的事情是不好的嗎?」

Of course not!

別傻了!

When a man steals, he usually doesn’t think:

當一個人要去偷東西的時候，他通常不會想說：

"I am such a bad person"

「我怎麼這麼壞」

No.

當然不會

He thinks that what he is doing is good.

他當然會認為他在做對的事情

For example, he thinks:

譬如，他可能會想：

"This society is corrupt,

「這個社會病了，

it is their fault my life is hell.

讓我生不如死都是他們的錯，

I don't care who I steal from.

我才不管被我都的人會怎麼樣，

It is time to do something good

反正，

for me!"

是時候應該要為自己做一件好事了!」

It doesn't matter if what he thinks is right or wrong.

對他來說，他的想法對不對根本就不重要

From his point of view,

從他的觀點來看，

he has a full justification for stealing.

他絕對有足夠的理由替自己的行為做辯護

If fact, even when a man confesses

事實上，就算當一個人自首，

that he did something bad,

承認自己犯了錯，

(and remember,

(你要記得，

this is because another part of him has an interest

這是因為另一面的他

that conflicts with the thing he did),

讓他自己覺得自己犯錯了)，

he will say that he was unaware

他也會說自己當時不知道

that the thing the did was bad,

做這件事是錯的，

or that he had no choice.

或是說他已經別無選擇

He might also say that his actions

他也有可能會說他的行為

were not voluntary.

都不是出於自願的

Meaning - he,

也就是說-

the part of him that thinks the deed is bad,

認為這個行為是壞的他，

didn't manage to overcome

認為沒有改善的太大必要，

the need or craving to do it

或是迫切的想要做這件事

– that is, the part that sees this deed

-也就是說，這一部分的他，

as something good.

認為這是一件好事

check it for yourselves...

現在想想你自己吧...

can you recall anything you that did

你能不能想到有任何在當下你認為是錯誤的行為，

intentionally and willingly,

你還會故意，且開心的

that at the moment of doing it, you thought was bad?

去做那件事情?

Think of the cruelest men in history.

我們來想想那些在歷史上有名的暴君

Do you think, they thought

你覺得，

they were doing something bad?

他們當下認為自己在做一件壞事嗎?

Absolutely not!

當然沒有!

In fact, they believed they were working for a high and a noble cause.

事實上，他們相信自己是在實踐高尚的理想

That they were bringing good to the world…

也相信自己的行為是為這個世界注入美好...

Q: "So what are you saying, that

Q:「所以你的意思是，

Hitler, Bin Laden and all of these people were not bad?"

希特勒、賓拉登還有其他人都不是壞人嗎?」

Of course they were bad! For you!

他們當然是壞人!但是是對你而言!

And probably for most of humanity.

或者是對大部分的人也是

But from their point of view,

但如果我們從他們的觀點出發，

and for the millions of people who supported their cause,

還有所有那些支持他們的群眾，

they were very good.

他們絕對是好人

Q: "And, what about people who like to be 'bad guys'?

Q:「那麼...那些喜歡當『壞人』的人呢?

People who declare that they are doing bad things on purpose,

許多人會刻意說自己在做一件壞事，

and they like it…

而且他們也喜歡這麼做......

surely you could say that they are doing bad intentionally".

你就可以搓他們是故意在做一件壞事了吧?」

Not really.

不一定

These people are really confused.

這些人通常都被混淆了

They simply use the word bad,

他們只是利用「壞」這個字，

to describe what they see as good.

去描述他們認為是好的行為

They break the laws or bully weak people

他們違法亂紀，或是霸凌弱勢，

just because it makes them feel brave and strong.

僅僅是因為他們認為這樣會使別人覺得自己很勇敢、強壯

They may call it bad, but they feel it is good.

雖然他們會說那是壞事，不過心理上他們覺得是好的

So you see,

因此你可以看到，

even they do what is good as they understand it.

他們也會因為了解，而做一些好事

Nobody ever does something bad on purpose.

沒有人會刻意做壞事

Everybody does only things they consider good

沒個人都只會做

from their point of view.

自己認為是好的事情

At this point you might ask,

到了這裡，你可能會問，

"But, if there is no good and bad,

「那，如果沒有好壞的差別，

how must we act?

我們應該怎麼做呢?

Should we love people that are bad for us,

難道我們應該要去愛那些對我們不好的人，

like thieves or murderers?"

譬如像是小偷或加害人嗎?」

Now,

現在，

I will answer this in a moment,

我將會回答這個疑問，

but first I want to point out that in my opinion