What does science teach about good and evil?

By: Santiago Ortiz

@SantiagoOrtizJr

Bombings, hijackings, assassinations, and war, are some examples of the ample capability humans have to display evil. However, no one is born an evil person. Rather it is a behavioral characteristic that is learned. How? In an attempt to understand what motivates people to be good or evil, researchers found a trait that can make a difference in whether a person chooses to be good or bad: empathy. When can empathy be learned? The answer is not surprisingly: from childhood. Researchers found that people that were taught how to be empathetic toward other people from childhood had lower chances of choosing an evil course of action during their adult lives. The full article was published on August 19th, 2017 by National Geographic Magazine under “What Science Tells Us About Good and Evil.”