fandomhigh | Ethics [Thursday, November 1, 1st period]

Anakin leaned a little uncomfortably against his desk as he waited for the students to take their seats.

"Today we talk about diligence, temperance, and forgiveness," he said quietly, "and we're going to use examples from last week's exercise to do so."

He flipped the hologram to life, focusing on a shot of Palpatine's face. "The goal was to save this man, the democratically chosen leader of your galaxy, at the cost--if necessary--of your own lives. After the first dozen or so droids shooting at you, you certainly had the option of retreating and leaving the mission for someone else to complete. So when does diligence turn to foolhardiness?"

The holocam switched to footage of two Jedi, blue blades flashing, taking on an older man wielding a red lightsaber. The older Jedi went ricocheting into a wall, then the second one, fire in his eyes, closed in on their opponent who dropped to his knees moments later with two lightsabers held to his throat.

The Jedi wielding the lightsabers looked an awful lot like their teacher.

"Temperance," Anakin said softly. "Do you kill him now? He's dangerous. He held the head of a galaxy-wide government hostage. He injured your partner. He certainly tried to kill you first. Or do you capture him and leave him to the whims of the courts?"

He shook his head. "Finally, forgiveness. You save the chancellor, at great personal expense, only to discover he's not the kind of man you thought he was. Your act of heroism has managed to make the situation at home much, much worse. How do you forgive yourself for it? Can you forgive the others who put you into that position?"

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Anakin nodded. "I've been assigned a few of those, but there's always a choice," he said. "If you're being ordered to fire on civilians, do you do it?"

Ino looked discomfitted. "I, don't know? I'm not ranked high enough to be sent on missions like that back home. But from training? I, well, I'd probably have to. Hokage-sama's word is law."

Anakin didn't look entirely pleased by that response. "And so you replace your own sets of ethics for theirs? You become a droid, only doing your job?"

"Missions are meant to be accomplished." Ino said, "And I don't really have the range of experience to say what I'd do for sure. Right now? I wouldn't want to do it, and I'd argue with Asuma-sensei about it." She stared at her hands, "I'm trained to do my job. I want to do it even. Hokage-sama gives orders that will benefit the village."

"Being trained is good," Anakin agreed, "but assuming that just because someone is in charge that they will be doing the right thing for everyone is naive at best. You were given a brain before you were ever given an order. Be sure you use it."

That was probably the first thing he'd said that Ino respected him for in this class. "Yes, sir." A grin quirked her lips, "I'm argumentative enough that questioning authority isn't that hard, but out-right defying orders is punishable by death. Especially if the mission is of a sensitive nature."

"It's the sensitive ones that you have to be extremely careful of," Anakin warned. "Things that need to be done in secret and in darkness tend to be the sort of things no one wants to admit happened."

"ANBU handle those missions." Ino said, "I haven't decided if that's the route I want to go yet, but I'll keep your warnings in mind."

Ethics [Thursday, November 1, 1st period]

Re: Answer the discussion question: Diligence

Re: Answer the discussion question: Diligence

Re: Answer the discussion question: Diligence

Re: Answer the discussion question: Diligence

Re: Answer the discussion question: Diligence

Re: Answer the discussion question: Diligence

Re: Answer the discussion question: Diligence

Re: Answer the discussion question: Diligence