Ethics class, 8-10am Friday morning

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara leans against her desk, smiling as she watches the students come in. Some of the faces she recognises, and gives a nod. The room is filled with soft, comfortable chairs, which are positioned in a circle. Each chair has a wooden insert in one arm, to lean on while writing, and each wooden insert has a blank piece of paper on it.

When everyone has taken their seats, Tara begins.

"The first rule of ethics class is that you do not talk about things that happen inside of ethics class. The second rule of ethics class is that you do not talk about things that happen inside of ethics class. Allow me to clarify: you may discuss your revelations, challenge your friends and mock the teacher all you like. But if anything said inside this class is ever used against another member of it, it will mean instant detention. You will, however, have the opportunity to explain yourself before I drag you before Principal Connor. This class cannot function if people are afraid to speak."

She looks around the classroom, stopping briefly on each face. "This school is very unusual. Yes, obviously the squid is a bit odd, but what's more interesting to me is that there are individuals sitting in this room" she nods to Angelus, "who identify themselves as evil. That, ladies and gentlemen, is what the first section of the course will be discussing. Evil, good, and what makes the difference between the two. Your evil classmates have perspectives you need to think about and consider. Don't ignore them in a mistaken belief that they have no ethics."

"Each class runs for two hours. Ordinarily this will be broken up into two sections: discussion and debate - today, however, there will be two discussion sections instead. The majority of your assessment will come through your involvement in class discussions. Every student is expected to participate every week. If you are painfully shy, write your thoughts down and hand them in to me. If I don't know what you're thinking, you don't get credit for it. After this week a formal debate will be held once a week. For those of you unfamiliar with debating, this means two teams of three students taking opposing sides on an issue determined by me. You will each be expected to debate three times during the term, with a week's notice to prepare for each one. At the end of semester a practical exam will be held. This will assess not what you choose to do, but how accurately you have come to an understanding of your own ethical code. I expect you to be honest with yourselves.

Friday and Monday classes are identical. Please feel free to switch between them if you have commitments that interfere with your regular attendance."

"I will want two teacher's assistants for this course, whose function it is to prompt discussion and challenge your thinking. These students will be expected to attend both Monday and Friday classes. Today's discussion will serve as your audition. If you are interested, please say so on your paper, or see me after class."

She smiles. "Alright, enough from me. Here's your first challenge: I want you to identify something you have done in the course of your life that another person might consider to be evil. I want you to explain to me why you did it, and whether you would make the same choices again if placed into a similar situation. You do not have to share this with your fellow students. Throw ideas around, talk about what different people consider evil, but write your final answers down on your piece of paper."

(Second challenge will be posted in the comments below. Discussion will be closed Thursday next week, for those who need to slowplay.)

Comments

Second Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Alright, everyone, time's up. Onto our second discussion topic - and remember, starting from next week this will be replaced by a formal debate.

Under what circumstances would you, personally, kill someone? Discuss hypothetical situations with your students, and add your final answer to your piece of paper."

Re: Second Hour

[cameronmitchell.livejournal.com]

Cameron is pretty quiet during the first half of the class, he obviously not in a good mood. Still, he writes down the answer to the question on the piece of paper: I don't remember the evil that I did. My friends told me that under the influence of some alien infection, I tried to physically hurt them. I wasn't myself then and I hope this is the only time I will ever try to do this.

When the second debate is launched, he's very short in his answer as well "In self defence and to protect." He copies the exact same response down on the paper.

Re: Second Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"What determines self defence, Cameron? If you believe someone is going to hurt someone you love or care about, are you allowed to act first?"

Re: Second Hour

[demonbelthazor]

Out loud Belthazor would only admit in self-defense, protecting someone, or revenge. What he writes on the paper is different:

I would kill to protect myself. I would kill -- he glances over to Phoebe -- to protect someone I loved. I would kill anyone who hurt someone I loved. I kill when the Source or Raynor demands it.

Re: Second Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"What constitutes self defence, Belthazor?"

Re: Second Hour

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

When Beka hears the question, she immediately shoots a significant glance at Bel.

Re: Second Hour

[sooo_cute]

"Sorry, but I don't think I couldn't kill anyone. Blood is just not my color."


OOC: Oh my god. I am going to have too much fun with this class.

Re: Second Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Alright, Quinn." Tara sizes her up. "Your mother is dying of a horrible wasting disease. She is in pain every minute of every day, kept alive only by machines. She is unable to speak or communicate, and the doctors say her condition will only deteriorate. Would you pull the plug and end her suffering?"

Re: Second Hour

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe thinks about this for a long moment.

"It would take a lot to get me to kill someone. I don't know if I could kill in my own defense...but I certainly would to protect those I love."

Re: Second Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"If your sister was being stalked and was in fear for her life, and her stalker appeared in front of you, would you intervene kill him at the first act of aggression, or would you wait until it was a kill-or-be-killed moment?"

Re: Second Hour

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

1) To protect myself.
2) To protect those I care about.
3) To protect innocents.
4) If I was ordered to.

Re: Second Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Who has the right to give those orders, Major K!?" Tara grins. She's done her homework. "Would you ever refuse such an order?"

Re: Second Hour

[http://users.livejournal.com/_gottahavefaith/]

Faith points at Kawalksy. "I agree with him. Except for the third one."

Re: Second Hour

[the4thsister.livejournal.com]

Paige takes a deep breath "I would kill to protect those I love"

Re: Second Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Thank you, Paige. What if it was someone you loved? If a madman held a knife to your throat and demanded that you kill your sister, or die yourself, would you do as he ordered?"

Re: Second Hour

[notcalledlizzie.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth frowns. "I'm not sure if this is a question I can answer until I'm put in this position. I want to say that I could if it had been attacked, and it was a choice between my life or theirs... I think I could kill them."

Re: Second Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Thank you, Elizabeth. What if it was someone you loved dearly, who was dying slowly and painfully - euthanasia, in other words. Would you kill to spare them their suffering?"

Re: Second Hour

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

"I believe for me it would a be a case by case basis. I can imagine there are a few situations in which I would be able to kill, but not many, and only as a last resort. If I was being assaulted, and there was a real and rational fear I would be killed, I could kill that person I think, to save myself. And in medicine, sometimes you have to make quick and irreversible choices that can result in someone's death. Are you responsible? In some way, I believe. I guess it depends on if we are talking about technical murder, or killing - there's a difference. Ultimately, you rely on your ethics and morals in the moment, and there isn't much else you can do to control that type of situation."

Re: Second Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Murder, euthanasia, self defence..." Tara smiles at Lisa. "I appreciate that you have to rely on your ethics and morals - and that's why I want you to think about what they are.

Let's take the medical example. There is a procedure you could do that has an 90% chance of killing the patient, and a 10% chance of returning them to a satisfactory condition of living. Assume for the moment that the choice is yours to make. Would you be willing to risk their death to give them back life?"

Re: Second Hour

[janet_fraiser]

She knows immediately how to answer this question, and writes it down on her paper: "If someone I love is in danger, or I am in danger." Then she listens to what everyone else says, and considers joining in the discussion.

Re: Second Hour

[notstakedyet.livejournal.com]

Angelus grinned a lazy grin.

"How about 'because it's Tuesday'? There's a reason."

Re: Second Hour

[wraithbaitjohn.livejournal.com]

1.) in defense of my self, my men or those who are unable to protect themselves.
2.) when necessary to protect national security or national secrets.
3.) in mercy

Re: Second Hour

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

This isn't a difficult question for Beka. Still, she discusses the question with some of the others, before jotting down this answer. The list is long, and probably would be longer, if her head was clearer.

I would kill:
1. When it's kill or be killed.
2. To protect my freedom.
3. If anyone tried again to rape me.
4. To protect the lives of people I care about.
5. To protect the lives of anyone too innocent, weak, wounded or naive to protect themselves.
5. To save someone from what they think is a worse fate.
6. To end someone's physical suffering, if they ask.
7. To stop more Magog from being born, even if it meant killing my best friend, if the larvae couldn't be removed.
8. Anyone whose death would've stopped the Commonwealth from falling. Even if that person were me.

Re: Second Hour

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

John reads these off, holding up fingers.

1. To protect myself.
2. To protect others in the immediate vicinity who may not be able to protect themselves.
3. To protect others from a knowable serious future incident.
4. To protect the many at the needs of the few.
5. To protect the few at the needs of the many.

Re: Second Hour

[allie-cameron.livejournal.com]

"I'm planning to become a doctor, so I cannot imagine any circumstances that would cause me to kill another human being."

[ooc: sorry for the lateness, I almost forgot I signed up Allie for this class!]