fandomhigh | Ethics [Thursday, February 21]

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Ethics [Thursday, February 21]

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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When they're shooting at you, when does diligence slip over into foolhardiness?

"If you have pledged yourself to a duty, whatever it might be, then you may have to give your life to meet your duty." Karal folded his hands, obviously thinking, looking a little sad. "You should not do so lightly or for foolhardy reasons, every possible option must be tried, but if, at the end, the only way to meet your duty is to give your life, then that is what you must do."

Not for the first time, Karal reminded Anakin sharply of Obi-Wan. "You would have made a fine Jedi," he said with a small smile.

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

vkandis-son.livejournal.com - 2008-02-22 00:51 (UTC) - Expand

"When they're shootin' at you?" Reno didn't take long to consider his answer, really. "Depends on if you can take the crap they're dishin' out, yo. Dyin' for it isn't heroism. It's just plain stupidity."

Anakin nodded. "On the surface, the mission looks like suicide. The way it played it was pretty close to killing everyone involved. We did it anyway. Heroic or really stupid?"

Anakin wasn't sure himself.

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

raspberryturk - 2008-02-22 04:37 (UTC) - Expand

"I think it depends on a lot of factors," Lana said. "If you're outnumbered and outgunned it would probably be wiser to fall back and get more help or come up with a better plan. On the other hand... sometimes there's a narrow window of opportunity and if you don't get it done now you won't ever get another chance - if someone's life is at stake perhaps. Sometimes then you justhave to keep going."

"Where you do you think this mission fell?" Anakin replied.

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

lovelylana.livejournal.com - 2008-02-22 00:08 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

sith_happened - 2008-02-22 01:32 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

lovelylana.livejournal.com - 2008-02-22 01:35 (UTC) - Expand

"Is it foolhardy to do something for what you think is the greater good?" Mel asked. "Because the other way to think about this is if your cowardice makes turn tail and run. Sure if my partner was hurt? I'd probably retreat to get her aid. If I had someone at my back, I'd probably go for it."

Anakin smiled at her. "Good."

Romeo shook his head. "If you have sworn yourself to a cause, you owe it your life. I would never retreat; I should rather die than be a coward."

Anakin frowned. "You'd rather die being an idiot?" he rephrased. "Not all causes are worth dying for, nor are all situations."

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

withoutverona - 2008-02-22 01:24 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

sith_happened - 2008-02-22 01:36 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

withoutverona - 2008-02-22 02:19 (UTC) - Expand

"It all depends on what you're trying to accomplish," Wyatt said. "If you're trying to rescue someone whose survival is vital to your cause, then you have to keep fighting. If there's time to regroup and get reinforcements, then fine, do it. But sometimes knights die to save their king."

"Is the king ever grateful?" Anakin asked a little bitterly.

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

blessed_twice - 2008-02-22 02:15 (UTC) - Expand

"If they're shooting at me, I'm not going to be hanging around long." Andrew was fine with not being the hero type.

"A perfectly respectable answer," Anakin said with a nod, making sure the rest of the class heard him.

Amber has been shot at before and could be shot at in the future. It was a cat and mouse game that she played.

"If the cause is strong and just and you've given yourself over to that specific duty, then I think it only honorable that you commit one hundred percent of yourself to it, even if it means you die to protect it." She gave a small, half shrug. "But you also have to be smart about it too. Consider your options carefully. Will your dyin' for a cause benefit anyone?"

"In this scenario, what do you think?" Anakin asked. "Would dying trying to rescue the leader of a government be worth it?"

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

minnesota-teen.livejournal.com - 2008-02-22 01:50 (UTC) - Expand

"Didn't we cover this in the other class?" Anemone huffed. "You can't finish the mission if you're dead. Call in a squad if you need canon fodder, but if you die, he's still going to be stuck there. Fall back, and get a new plan."

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

sith_happened - 2008-02-22 01:37 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

death-of-hope.livejournal.com - 2008-02-22 05:09 (UTC) - Expand

Adah looked, at best, like reheated death that had been left in the refrigerator too long, staring blearily toward the front of the class before blinking, slowly. She gave her head a weak shake before pulling out her notebook and just writing, "Try to get out. Wouldn't stand a chance. Escape is optimal, but you can't depend on something else either."

Even if she didn't look so out of it, she would still look like she didn't care to elaborate. Her paleness, just thinking about it, seemed to take on a lightly green shade, and her eyes drifted away.

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

sith_happened - 2008-02-22 00:08 (UTC) - Expand

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ecirpnellehada.livejournal.com - 2008-02-22 00:14 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

sith_happened - 2008-02-22 01:39 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

ecirpnellehada.livejournal.com - 2008-02-22 01:54 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

sith_happened - 2008-02-22 02:12 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

ecirpnellehada.livejournal.com - 2008-02-22 02:18 (UTC) - Expand

"You've been sent here for a reason," Rikku said, shaking her head. "Rescuing him is what matters. Just because you might die doesn't suddenly make it so he doesn't need to be saved."

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

sith_happened - 2008-02-22 00:09 (UTC) - Expand

Re: Answer the discussion question: diligence

the_merriest - 2008-02-22 03:21 (UTC) - Expand

"When you've been shot a couple of times and you're hurt but still trying to continue, then that's foolhardy. I mean? Why bother continuing at that point when you're the one who will need to be rescued?" said Hoshi.

She would probably change her tune in ten years when she gets severely injured on the Xindi mission.