Are we fundamentally good, or fundamentally evil or somewhere in between?

All of us see little children as angels, but are they? Well they are certainly selfish. They make such a mess. They are constantly demanding keeping their parents awake at night. They want attention and they bawl their heads off until they get it.

Charles Darwin thought of nature as a jungle - the strong prosper or at least survive, the weak go to the wall.

Well ,what does this prove? Nothing! The newborn child is innocent. None of the follies of later age has happened as yet. He has not blasphemed, stolen, told lies, been naughty - give him time! At birth babies are neither good nor bad. Maybe how they turn out depends on their genetic inheritance or their environment? The sins of their fathers, maybe? Well this is quite an appalling view to take because if we do take it we would not be in control of our lives or our destiny. Our genes and our environment would be instead.

My belief is that we are basically good. Whether I am right or wrong it is the most positive view. It is the view of an increasing number of psychologists as well. We are set up for self- preservation. Our body can adapt and ward off disease. We have an instinct to survive, to seek food and shelter, to look after our families.

When others say things which we regard as wrong, we argue, we fight to get them to see the error of their ways. Why would we do this unless we knew right from wrong?

Man from ancient times has had laws and codes of conduct. The ancient Egyptians, Babylonians, Hindus, Greeks, Romans. Jews, Christians have all followed what C.S. Lewis calls the Law of Human Nature. These are universal to the human race. This Law is inbuilt. It is our conscience. When we do something which we know to be wrong, and are caught out, we try to justify it or explain it off in some way or other. Therefore,we must be sensitive to the ethics of good behaviour.

The philosopher, Immanuel Kant, said: "Two things fill me with wonder and awe - the starry heavens above and the moral law within." Man knows his right from his wrong. Animals don't have this sense in any marked degree - only man has.

Man also can feel love. Man can sacrifice his own well-being for the love of others. He can let the disabled enjoy activities and surroundings rather than withholding the means that will enable them to do so - if he is truly a man with the sensitivity and feelings that right thinking people do have.

The ability to give and to receive love puts us on a higher level than other creatures. Those who do not have this are truly disabled and need help. Without this they can neither help other creatures, other people or themselves. A life without feelings for others is lamentable.

It is up to the rest of us to help them fulfill a higher destiny than the one which they left to themselves would inherit.