D&D 5E Why is animate dead considered inherently evil?

[Tolerable Tyrant]

I'm having a troublesome time understanding why the animate dead spell is considered evil. When I read the manual it states that the spall imbues the targeted corpse with a foul mimicry of life, implying that the soul is not a sentient being who is trapped in a decaying corpse. Rather, the spell does exactly what its title suggests, it only animates the corps. Now of course one could use the spell to create zombies that would hunt and kill humans, but by that same coin, they could create a labor force that needs no form of sustenance (other than for the spell to be recast of course). There have also been those who have said "the spell is associated with the negative realm which is evil", however when you ask someone why the negative realm is bad that will say "because it is used for necromancy", I'm sure you can see the fallacy in this argument.

However, I must take into account that I have only looked into the DnD magic system since yesterday so there are likely large gaps in my knowledge. PS(Apon further reflection I've decided that the animate dead spell doesn't fall into the school of necromancy, as life is not truly given to the corps, instead I believe this would most likely fall into the school of transmutation.) PPS(I apologize for my sloppy writing, I've decided I'm feeling too lazy to correct it.)

 

[Vaalingrade]

I suspect the eugenics movement made some people a bit leery about the impact transhumanism might have on society.

Possibly but there's a big leap between gattiga babies and my dreams of living eternally as a basketball-sized bumblebee.

 

[Voadam]

Possibly but there's a big leap between gattiga babies and my dreams of living eternally as a basketball-sized bumblebee.

Just FYI you might want to check out Eclipse Phase.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Just FYI you might want to check out Eclipse Phase.

I should, but I wasn't talking about in game >_>

 

[lingual]

I think creating an evil creature that would attack and kill innocent living things if left uncontrolled should be considered generally evil. Doesn't the spell only last 24 hours? And the the zombie or skeleton sort of wanders off? So if you just let the thing go, there's probably a good chance it would eventually find some innocents and try to kill them.

Beyond these "mechanical reasons", taboos are a real thing. Using certain words can be considered "evil" or morally repugnant. Paying subsistence wages while gathering huge profits can be considered "evil". Using certain spells could be considered bad too.

 

[lingual]

Do you believe nuclear power is inherently evil?

It depends. Reckless use of nuclear power can definitely be considered evil. Nuke meltdowns are bad.

Energy doesn't have an alignment though. Skeletons and zombies do.

 

[lingual]

The animate dead spell doesn't affect the spirit at all. It nearly animates the corps, much like the animate object spell.

I don't think this is accurate. When you animate a chair, you don't create an
evil chair that will kill innocents after the spell ends.

 

[Vaalingrade]

People keep coming back to the 'uncontrolled killing spree' thing, but keep in mind that, again, this is a relatively new development created to justify undead being evil after the fact.

It's like declaring whipped cream evil and a decade later coming back with a tweet saying it's because it left near babies it strangles them.

 

[MGibster]

It's like declaring whipped cream evil and a decade later coming back with a tweet saying it's because it left near babies it strangles them.

Eh, I'd still make whipped cream.

 

[Vaalingrade]

Eh, I'd still make whipped cream.

And I'd still make skeletons to perform my Jason and the Argonauts reenactment.

(the skeletons are there to do the claymation)

 

[Oofta]

People keep coming back to the 'uncontrolled killing spree' thing, but keep in mind that, again, this is a relatively new development created to justify undead being evil after the fact.

It's like declaring whipped cream evil and a decade later coming back with a tweet saying it's because it left near babies it strangles them.

This is a 5E specific question, unless you're changing the alignment and lore you are creating an evil creature that will murder people if not commanded otherwise on a daily basis. You can change the lore if you want of course, but whether you like the it or not it is the current rule.