Heart of Darkness

Children are complete selfish psychopaths, so I'd say born evil. Of course, childhood and stories are all about teaching morals and whatnot.

^ This. I mean, think about it... what's the one thing kids learn how to do very early that no one teaches?

How to Lie. For gain or to avoid punishment, a child almost can instinctively apply that ability.

I can't really say good or bad applies to people due to the variation of standard, HOWEVER, i feel maybe we can define it in a general, more quantifiable way for the sake of the disscussion , most behavior tends have an effect on two categories: Benefit/Hindrance to our own interests, and Benefit/Hindrance to others interests.

Most 'evil' behavior involves Benefit to self whilst being a Hindrance to others. Most 'good' behavior involves Benefit to others, regardless of whether its a Benefit or a Hindrance to ourselves. Neutral or behavior no one minds is usually Self Beneficial, while having no effect on others.

I believe we're born naturally with a focus on our own interests. That does not neccessarily makes us evil: it makes us ignorant. The ability to be aware of the interest/well being of others, is more or less usually taught. Even outside of humans, the only animals that act to protect their kind, or willingly put themselves in danger for the sake of another are those that are raised by parents, usually mammals, and such behavior is actually taught by the parents.

So with that deduction, I feel that good and evil, as defined by the effect of the well-being of others in our actions, is not inherited, but taught/learned. We are inherently born innocent/ignorant of the benefit/hinderance of the well being of others.