Katy asked:

Is anything absolute? and is man inherently evil? and does love have a biological component?

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An absolute is a value. That which has absolute value is of value in itself and as itself. This differs
from that which is simply intrinsically valuable.

We know what good is and, in virtue of this, particular things are thought good. We cannot say more
about it. As Iris Murdoch says in Metaphysics as a Guide to Morals"good is good". This differs from
happiness, which appears to have absolute value since it is good in itself, but this is as an end in itself
or as intrinsically valuable. Intrinsic value is to be contrasted with extrinsic value which is
instrumental. Wealth can be said to have extrinsic value if it leads to happiness. Happiness is not
instrumental and so has intrinsic value. It cannot be of absolute value because its value lies in the fact
that it is good.

Evil is absolute. Evil is not evil for any reason other than it is evil in and of itself.

Evil is inherent in man as a capacity. Recognition of good as good, reason and sanity are needed to
keep it at bay.

Love can have a biological component. The love between a parent and child is a paradigm of love.
There is also a biological tie, genetically, between siblings. Not all love is grounded in a biological tie,
but it is the cases of unconditional biological love which — if we are lucky — teach us what love is,
and how to love properly.

Rachel Browne