If half an onion is rotten... - Tilted Forum Project - TFP - Sexuality, Philosophy and Political Discussion

Adri · 07-26-2007, 01:02 PM

Hi everyone, I'm relatively new to the forums but I've been interjecting myself in conversations here and there, so hopefully I'm not a total TFP loser...

Anyway, I have no philosophical training or education beyond the obligatory Western Civilization freshman college course which touches on the greats, briefly. Thus, if my question is ridiculous, please feel free to let me know. But I'm interested to hear your take on it nonetheless.

I've been reading the George R.R. Martin fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire", and I'm currently on the second book, A Clash of Kings. It may seem strange to develop a philosophical question on the basis of a line from a fantasy novel, but here goes:

(of course I don't have the book with me so this isn't an exact quote)

In discussing whether a person is all-bad or all-good, or if someone can be "gray", a character says something to the effect of,

"If half an onion is rotting, it's still a rotten onion."

Well, this is certainly true... unless I were starving, I wouldn't eat the 'good' half of a half-rotten onion, I would toss the entire thing.

So does the same concept apply to human beings? I don't believe so; I think people are all pretty much "gray", but at what point does someone turn from gray to black? How much evil must you commit before you're actually considered "evil"?

Willravel · 07-26-2007, 01:17 PM

I believe that the statement is based on the idea that an onion with rotting parts isn't good to eat. In that way, the comparison isn't apt because people aren't finished until they are dead. Judging one in the middle of their life is like judging the onion before it's been picked. Not only that, but as you said, people can become unrotten after being rotten.

Crompsin · 07-26-2007, 02:15 PM

Human beings have a dynamic shelf life.

07-26-2007, 01:02 PM	#1 (permalink)
Adri Tilted Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Orange County (the annoying one)	If half an onion is rotten... Hi everyone, I'm relatively new to the forums but I've been interjecting myself in conversations here and there, so hopefully I'm not a total TFP loser... Anyway, I have no philosophical training or education beyond the obligatory Western Civilization freshman college course which touches on the greats, briefly. Thus, if my question is ridiculous, please feel free to let me know. But I'm interested to hear your take on it nonetheless. I've been reading the George R.R. Martin fantasy series "A Song of Ice and Fire", and I'm currently on the second book, A Clash of Kings. It may seem strange to develop a philosophical question on the basis of a line from a fantasy novel, but here goes: (of course I don't have the book with me so this isn't an exact quote) In discussing whether a person is all-bad or all-good, or if someone can be "gray", a character says something to the effect of, "If half an onion is rotting, it's still a rotten onion." Well, this is certainly true... unless I were starving, I wouldn't eat the 'good' half of a half-rotten onion, I would toss the entire thing. So does the same concept apply to human beings? I don't believe so; I think people are all pretty much "gray", but at what point does someone turn from gray to black? How much evil must you commit before you're actually considered "evil"?

07-26-2007, 01:17 PM	#2 (permalink)
Willravel [wil-ruh-VEL] Join Date: Aug 2004	I believe that the statement is based on the idea that an onion with rotting parts isn't good to eat. In that way, the comparison isn't apt because people aren't finished until they are dead. Judging one in the middle of their life is like judging the onion before it's been picked. Not only that, but as you said, people can become unrotten after being rotten. __________________ ɯǝɥʇ ǝʌlos uɐɔ ǝʍ ʇɐɥʇ ǝɔuɐɹouƃı ɥƃnoɹɥʇ ʇou sı ʇı 'sɯǝlqoɹd ǝʇɐǝɹɔ uɐɔ ǝƃpǝlʍouʞ ɟı

07-26-2007, 02:15 PM	#3 (permalink)
Crompsin STRIKE FACE Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Prime Self	Human beings have a dynamic shelf life. __________________ C19H28O2 = C6H2(NO2)3CH3 All your base are belong to us.