What is Innocence?

[SS10]

I have been pondering on this recently,

But what does it mean for something to be innocent?

Why is a baby innocent but not Hitler?

Is the cute puppy innocent? What about the ferocious tiger?

Is God Innocent? Is the Devil?

Were the Nazis innocent? Were the Jews innocent?

If a human being loses their innocence what becomes of them? Do they become beast?

If you are a murderer and everyone knows it but you were framed for commiting a crime you actually didn't do this time does that make you innocent or guilty?

Why do we 'carry' guilt but not innocence? Is there something pure to innocence? Perhaps innocence is openness, humility, beingness, gentle, pure.

 

[ilja]

not having experienced something.

hitler is innocent, it's relative. he just was not innocent when it comes to being a murderer.

Edited May 12, 2021 by ilja

[Forestluv]

There are different meanings for the term 'innocent'.

For example, someone could be found 'innocent' in a court of law. That is a different meaning than someone being 'innocent' because they haven't been exposed to certain things and and unaware of certain things. For example, a person may travel to a foreign country and think everyone there is friendly and be unaware of scammers / manipulators. In this context, 'innocence' would be a form of naïveté. Or a child can be innocent since their reality has been exposed to many things. For example, a young child would have no idea what sex is or all the things that can happen in sexual relationships. 

You seem to be using the term 'innocent' in the context of 'not guilty' of doing something bad. In that context, it depends on your definition of 'bad' and whether the person committed that' bad' act. For example, if killing other people is bad, Hitler would not be 'innocent' since he was involved with killing many people. He would be found guilty in a court of law.