What is good?

     How do we determine what is good? What can be defined as good? According to that bastion of superficial knowledge wikipedia, “good” can be defined as ‘That which is morally right; righteousness. To be desired or approved of.’ But then, what is moral? What is righteousness? I would like to take an example from my favorite professor Michael Sandals from Harvard. Michael Sandals asked his students ‘If you had to choose between killing one person to save the lives of five others and doing nothing, what would you do?’ What would be the right thing to do? What would be the correct moral reason to answer this question? It is a very vague question with no right or wrong answers in my opinion. Its like asking if I like my mom or dad more.

     If we had to look through Mr. Sandal’s point of view, we are by nature to take the easier side of the problem. He gives examples of scenarios where he ties family members, making it harder to give straight answers or conscious choices. He makes it difficult to tell what is right or wrong. To kill one important person by sacrificing 5 commoners or just sacrifice one to save the majority? There can’t be no relevant or correct answer to these questions, making the students think and to ponder about these situations. I guess its what it makes the lecture so popular in Harvard. 

     Based on my philosophy, I believe what is good depends on what the person’s action tells us. Many people say there’s no good or bad people in this world. Only the choices that those people make is what separates them into different categories of people. No baby was born evil. The influence they received growing up, the environment they lounged around in, and the people they associated with growing up has a major impact on the person and the choices that he makes. 

So what we determine does not depend on the person, it depend on the action of that person’s actions. But according to my mom, as long as we don’t harm the others, then you are goodly off to go. :)