fandomhigh | Destiny & Free Will, Week IV [Monday, Period 4]

Ghanima had ~~handwavily~~ sent out a notice to meet down by the pond again, since it seemed almost criminal to have class indoors during the summer.

"Good afternoon!" she said cheerily. "Hopefully you all aren't too tired from your move back to the dorms, as we have lots to discuss today."

"The question of free will is if, and in what sense, rational agents exercise control over their actions and decisions. Addressing this question requires understanding the relationship between freedom and cause, and determining whether the laws of nature are causally deterministic. Sounds fun, hrm?"

"The principle of free will has religious, ethical, and scientific implications. For example, in the religious realm, free will may imply that an omnipotent divinity does not assert its power over individual will and choices. In the ethical sense, it may imply that individuals can be held morally accountable for their actions. And last, but far from least, in the scientific arena it may imply that the actions of the body, including the brain and the mind, are not wholly determined by physical causality. Needless to say, the question of free will has been a central issue since the beginning of philosophical thought."

"Society generally holds people responsible for their actions, if law and order prevail, and will say that they deserve praise or blame for what they do." Ghanima shook her head, mouth pinched in distaste. "However, many believe that moral responsibility requires free will. If you have no free will, then how can you be held responsible for anything? Thus, another important issue in the debate on free will is whether individuals are ever morally responsible for their actions—and, if so, in what sense."

"There is an example that those of you native to this planet and era may be familiar with," she said, walking forward to being writing on the board. "St. Paul, in his Epistle to the Romans addresses the question of moral responsibility as follows: "Hath not the potter power over the clay, of the same lump to make one vessel unto honour, and another unto dishonour?" If you follow Paul's line of reasoning, individuals can still be dishonoured for their acts even though those acts were ultimately completely determined by God."

"Of course, no matter the rules one chooses to abide by, there are almost always exceptions," Ghanima stated. "One exception to the assumption that moral culpability lies in either individual character or freely willed acts is in cases where the insanity defense—or its corollary, diminished responsibility—can be used to argue that a guilty deed was not the product of a guilty mind. In such cases, the legal systems of most Western societies assume that the person is in some way not at fault, because his actions were a consequence of abnormal brain functions."

"Now, then, let's ponder." Ghanima leaned against the wall to survey the room. "Moral responsibility, madness, and free will. Go."

[OCD UP]

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"I don't think I'd have had anything to say that wasn't likely said already," she said, walking over. "I just wanted to deliver a letter to you, and as I was already in the building this seemed easiest, Miss Atreides. I won't take much time."

And it made her feel like less of a coward for planning on dropping Mr. Durden's in his mailbox.

Edited 2009-07-27 17:06 (UTC)

"I'm not sure that's true," Ghanima objected. "Your fellow students tend to get quite spirited when the words 'destiny' and 'free will' and 'moral responsibility' start getting tossed about, and even different reiterations of the same viewpoint can bring about an unexpected epiphany when executed properly."

Interested, she blinked at Ino before extending her hand. "Well then. May I?"

"Then I'm really the wrong one to start airing my views," Ino said, almost lightly, as she handed over the letter. "I don't need people staring at me 'cause I don't think they way they do."

Fidget.

"I can--go, if you'd like?" That was cowardly, Ino.

[As it would help if I put the actual link in. Good job, self. ^^; ]

Edited 2009-07-27 17:39 (UTC)

"You may not have noticed, Miss Yamanaka, but my personal morality hardly aligns with current contemporary standards," Ghanima said dryly as she opened the letter, pointedly not dismissing Ino. "I'm simply a bit more discreet about my nature than many people realize."

Ino stood, almost at attention, and tried not to sigh as the letter was opened.

"Being discreet sort of makes discussing it kinda silly though, doesn't it?" she couldn't help adding. "I mean, if you've got to dance 'round to the point where they don't look shocked."

"I don't dance around it at all," Ghanima replied, glancing up from her reading for a split second with a smile before they flickered back to the page. "I'm quite straight forward about who and what I am, in my own way, but I chose not to flaunt it in people's faces for no reason."

"I consider it a reward, for friendship earned. I trust my friends to hold dear who I am, in all that I am. I respect the their viewpoints, and in turn, they tend to respect mine. I find that it's a firmer foundation for a relationship than if I'd been screaming about myself at the wind from the start."

Ino would have to be deaf not to be able to pick out the rebuke in that. If not, it was still a lesson.

"Yes, Miss Atreides," Ino said, then asked: "What about in class, though, where you're supposed to bring it up and to people who don't know you well enough to deal with all of it?"

Ghanima folded the letter and placed it in her lap. "People don't always have to agree. If they did, this would be a very boring planet," she said simply. "In class, I simply ask that students remain respectful of each other as people. Focus on the issue at hand; find where the differences - and similarities - are, and work from there. I encourage debate, but I do draw the line at personal attacks."

"Now, how would you like me to respond to this?" she asked, trailing her fingers over the paper. "Would you like to speak about this now, or do you prefer I compose a response that you can read at your leisure?"

Ino had was making an effort, and so Ghanima was willing to let her set the tempo for the next part of the dance.

[Ahahaha - your icon has great keywords!]

"I--" Ino paused and gave a bit of an apologetic shrug at that. "I don't know," she said honestly. "I... didn't really think that far."

Her plan had been 'hand over the letter and run away'. Her plan had been neatly smashed to pieces. Ino mourned it's passing.

"I have one--for Mr. Durden too. I'll be delivering it to him. I don't know--if you wanted to talk to him about it, or... what."

A beat.

"Miss Atreides."

Ghanima liked smashing other people's plans, it was something of a hobby.

"Ino, contrary to whatever horror stories my brother may be circulating amongst the other students, and I do not doubt he would, I do not eat children for breakfast," Ghanima replied. "Not even the bright ones that frustrate me to no end."

There was a compliment and a reassurance in there somewhere. Honest.

"Is there anything else you want to say that you didn't put in here? Otherwise we can continue our other conversation, or I can let you go to deliver your other missive."

"In any event, while I may confer with Mr. Durden to let him know I spoke with you, my response will be my own."

"Considering that this issue started over my lack of respect and control I would rather err on the side of caution," Ino said, almost lightly.

Look, she didn't say 'Miss Atreides' that time. Woo.

Her lips quirked. "There's quite a bit I cut out," Ino said, "but as most of it just made me sound like a spoilt brat, I think I'll keep that stuff to myself." The rest of her personal issues were so not up for grabs this second. She tugged at her hair. "I--don't know. Um. Did you have a response now?"

"Then you've already started addressing my primary concern," Ghanima replied bluntly.

"So that you know where I am coming from, I was unaware until later that Miss Post had powers, and once I did discover this, it was my understanding that they worked differently. However, my underlying concern is not anything to do with anyone's powers, but a concern about actions and reactions, and, as you said, respect and attitude." She gave Ino another small smile as she tapped the letter. "If you don't mind, I would prefer to read this over again before I compose a more complete response. But respect is always the first and foremost rule in any of my classrooms, and that includes Fight Club."

"Does that clarify anything for you?"

[Dear me, helps if you hit 'post' OMGWTF.]

"Yes, Miss Atreides," she said, because there wasn't anything else that she could say. Enough people had pounded that into her head in the last week. "I'll keep it in mind."

"And, of course--I wasn't really expecting a response right away, so don't, like, uh--hurry 'bout that on my account."

Ghanima resisted the urge to let out a very un-ladylike snort. "You are dismissed, then, Miss Yamanaka. Thank you for taking the time to hand-deliver this."

That got a bit of a shrug, a bit of an almost-bow, and then Ino was utterly delighted to flee the scene.

Destiny & Free Will, Week IV [Monday, Period 4]

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