by Traci McCaiughey

Created on: July 06, 2007   Last Updated: November 21, 2007

It is human nature to believe that we are all "good at heart". That no matter how awful someone behaves, that there is something deep within their being that makes them good. No matter how awful the state of the world is that good will prevail.

For centuries, philosophers and scholars have debated the clean slate theory. Are humans born with a "clean slate" that experiences and teachings by others write on determining the morals and beliefs of the individual? Or are humans born with purity or evil and this becomes apparent as the child grows? Or is everyone good from the beginning and the experiences and teachings that which taint individuals to become cruel, evil, and mean?

This is so hard to determine. There is not a definite answer. The answers are all based upon the belief system that people hold.

It is very hard for me to look at an infant and say that there is evil within that little body. It seems unnatural. But to others who look at an infant who screams constantly for hours on end, they may see the evil that I would excuse as gas pains.

While not declaring that I am an expert, I have worked as a child behaviorist in a mental health setting. I have seen proof that we are a product of our environment. "Naughty" children who have reputations for being violent, destructive, and offensive showed signs of being able to make ethically sound decisions and do good deeds. These children were able to be genuinely caring of peers when they were placed in a setting that was safe and promoted this behavior.

I have also seen individuals that I can only describe as pure evil. Only a very few were children. These are individuals that can pretend to be caring but are only doing so to manipulate a situation to benefit their needs. Their eyes are cold and their aura's make the hair stand up on the backs of others' necks. The only words that could describe their presence are dark and eerie.

From my experience observing humans in a medical setting, I believe that we do start with goodness and that our surroundings and guidance from other individuals changes this initial purity. Though my experience is limited, I have sensed true evil in only older individuals (7 and older) that have been able to be influenced by society.

The debate of inherent goodness in humans will be an issue that will be debated much like that of the chicken and the egg. We may never know the "answer" if one truly exists. There will be theories only supporting multiple beliefs based on personal experiences and observations.

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