Is Evil a Human Construct? | Oz Talk with Jordan Peterson

In this video, Dr. Oz and Jordan Peterson discuss the topic of evil. Is it a human construct? Does it exist outside mankind? Jordan Peterson doesn’t believe animals embody evil because evil requires self-consciousness. He connects it to the stories in Genesis, specifically the story about Adam and Eve. In their creation, they learn the distinction between good and evil. Jordan Peterson shares that if you are aware of what hurts you, you know it. This means you also know how it hurts another person. As soon as someone knows that, then they know the difference between good and evil. It’s the exploitation of vulnerability. Jordan Peterson explains that animals on the other hand don’t know or do that.

In addition, Dr. Oz asks Jordan Peterson how we can overcome evil in the world and ourselves. Jordan Peterson thinks you can make a power case that evil is the radical absence of good, but that it doesn’t mean it is not an active force. Dr. Oz wonders how we can reduce evil within our communities. Jordan Peterson feels you have to deal with it yourself. You are not able to deal with a situation unless you face it internally. The battle between good and evil is a spiritual one. Jordan Peterson explains that It is fundamentally an individual issue. It’s the battle of your soul pulled by opposing forces.