Ethics [Tuesday, October 21, 2nd period]

[sith_happened]

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 battle was moving at least three times as fast as the exercise had. The older Jedi went ricocheting into a wall, then the second one, fire in his eyes, closed in on their opponent. A few moments later the Sith dropped to his knees 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?"

Comments

Re: Answer the discussion question: forgiveness

[endsthegame]

"There are things you shouldn't forgive yourself for," he replied. This one was the hardest. "But learn, move on, and do better things next time." If it was possible.

Ender wasn't even going to touch the last part.

Re: Answer the discussion question: forgiveness

[sith_happened]

Anakin's eyes went very serious. "What kind of things are unforgivable?"

Re: Answer the discussion question: forgiveness

[endsthegame]

"Murder," he said. He was having some trouble quite looking Anakin in the eye, but after a slight hesitation, Ender decided it was ridiculous and forced himself to. "Especially genocide. The guilt should be a burden."

Re: Answer the discussion question: forgiveness

[sith_happened]

For a split second Anakin's look was pure agonized sympathy, but it disappeared almost immediately. "And if the guilt crushes the person?" he asked. "Is that its own form of justice?"

Re: Answer the discussion question: forgiveness

[endsthegame]

"It's not about that kind of justice," he said. "Justice is being strong enough to get up and do something for the people that you killed."

Re: Answer the discussion question: forgiveness

[sith_happened]

"But the scale can never be balanced, can it?" Anakin asked softly.

Re: Answer the discussion question: forgiveness

[endsthegame]

"No," he said, "But you can't let that keep you from doing something useful. There's no justice in that."

Re: Answer the discussion question: forgiveness

[sith_happened]

"And very little to be gained by wallowing," Anakin added with a small smile.

Re: Answer the discussion question: forgiveness

[endsthegame]

"Or drifting around on lakes," Ender finished.