Good and Evil

Hugh Taft-Morales

Leader, Philadelphia Ethical Society

What are we talking about when we speak of “good” and “evil”? The dynamic struggle between good and evil has been examined through art, literature, and philosophy for millennia, but there’s no consensus about the meaning of the terms. Hugh Taft-Morales explores evil as represented in the rise of Nazism and the attempted genocide of Jews, Romani, homosexuals, and others. He will then share the story about the residents of Le Chambon, France, who gave sanctuary to Jewish children. It shines out as what some called “a conspiracy of goodness.” How, in the midst of that dark horror, did goodness survive? What lessons can we draw from this story to help us live more ethically today?