Ethics [Thursday, October 8, 1st period]

[sith_happened]

"I trust that all of you survived your weekend with your relatives mostly intact," Anakin said, sweeping into the room precisely on time. "Today we talk about something called the Golden Rule, a concept which unites many separate religions on this planet," he said, leaning against his desk and stared around the classroom. "It sounds altruistic: 'do unto others as you would have done unto you', but there's a couple of logical flaws in it. What if you don't mind getting poked in the stomach? Does it follow that you could wander around aimlessly poking people? What if you don't see what's wrong with stealing? Or killing? Or hating entire groups of people on principle? If the practical application is supposed to be you randomly help people because they could be good, wouldn't the opposite be that you could randomly harm people because they might be evil?"

He shrugged. "I suppose the Golden Rule could be broken down to 'be nice to people, and they'll be nice to you' but out here in the real world, we all know it doesn't exactly work like that, and the concept could also be reinterpreted as 'it doesn't bother me, so why does it bother you?' Is this a case of aiming for an ideal and hoping that it will cause a ripple effect of positive things, or something overly simplistic that taken to its logical extreme renders itself useless? Has seeing it on everything from coffee mugs to tea towels made the very idea of it trite, or does it still have a place in the mind of someone trying to lead an ethical life?"

Comments

Sign in [Ethics 10/8]

[sith_happened]

With your most forgiving icon.

Re: Sign in [Ethics 10/8]

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

Katina Choovanski

Listen to the lecture [Ethics 10/8]

[sith_happened]

Take notes, pass out, wonder just how many questions Anakin can ask in a single class...

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 10/8]

[longislandiceme]

It was rare that Bobby found himself actually fully paying attention in class, and not daydreaming or making smartass remarks.

But when you fought to protect people that hated and feared you? 'Do Unto Others' became kind of personal. So here he was, listening closely and actually taking notes.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 10/8]

[glacial_queen]

Karla was frowning as she took notes. But it was a thoughtful frown. Yeah, this topic had the potential to get messy.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 10/8]

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

Jonas actually thought the Community had followed this rule so precisely that it had become the unspoken main rule. Of course, thinking about it now, he saw how many flaws existed within this rule existed and how they helped crack his view of the Community after years of thinking it perfect and right.

Re: Listen to the lecture [Ethics 10/8]

[life_inshadow]

Tara took a few notes, but this was a part of Wiccan ethics that she understood intuitively.

Answer discussion question #1!

[sith_happened]

Logical flaws of the Golden Rule! Should you go around poking people in the stomach because you don't mind getting poked? Randomly hurt people just in case they're evil?

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[longislandiceme]

Bobby actually had to make the effort to make sure that there was no literal ice to accompany his tone when he replied. "There's always gonna be some assholes in the world who hate people for stupid reasons, reasons that maybe these people don't have control over. And they're the kind of people who'll go around saying 'oh, I'd never cross the line and do something against the law', well that's sure convenient when the law doesn't have anything in place to protect those others, isn't it?"

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[onlysmokesnics.livejournal.com]

"...It doesn't work," Hayley said. "People are still gonna be mean because it gets them money or happiness or something."

She was smiling happily when she said it.

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[glacial_queen]

"This is very similar to a saying we have in Kaeleer," Karla said, trying to keep the discussion away from potentially dangerous areas. "We teach it to children, especially right after the Birthright Ceremony, when they first have access to their Jewel strength. But it's a child's saying; a pretty sentiment that's over-simplified for a world-view that's very black and white. That worldview can't last very long. Things get messy and complicated. And the Golden Rule breaks down under the weight of that complication."

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[see-beyond.livejournal.com]

"The thought behind the rule is well meaning," Jonas started, thinking back to how harmonious and peaceful the Community was even while horrible things bubbled under the surface, "but people will misuse it or ignore it and dull the well meaning idea after awhile. It's inevitable. I believe it's a good rule to have but it's not one that should be followed precisely."

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[trigons_child]

"It is well-meaning, but too simple a sentiment," Raven said. "More of a guideline than an absolute rule."

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[thismaskiwear.livejournal.com]

"That kinda assumes you treat all people the same or something," Katchoo spoke up, "and that's pretty stupid, innit? 's naive, at least. Especially if, say, you don't give a crap about ninety-seven percent of the world, like one percent, and hate the hell outta the other two."

Purely hypothetical, okay? Because the percentages were exaggerated.

Some.

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[icecoldfrost]

"The term 'others' in the phrase itself is problematic. It creates a 'them' in contrast to a 'me.' If it was 'do unto all,' which is more inclusive, no one would follow it, since not everybody - or everything, for that matter - is equal, and never will be," Emma said darkly. "It's just a justification to be nice to your friends, and then slap down anyone who challenges you."

Re: Answer discussion question #1!

[life_inshadow]

"I-I-I think anything can be taken to an extreme wh-where it just gets silly," Tara offered. "I, uh, don't have a problem with the basic idea of being good to people because you would like them to be good to you. I don't think the reverse -- b-being bad to people because you can justify it -- is okay."

Answer discussion question #2!

[sith_happened]

Does putting something on a mug make it meaningful or waaaay overused?

Re: Answer discussion question #2!

[longislandiceme]

"When it's not being twisted, it's still a good sentiment," Bobby had to admit. For all his bitterness towards the actions of specific groups of humans, he did believe in Xavier's Dream after all. "I mean, real life's obviously more complicated than everything being peachy-keen if you're just nice to everyone, but if it gets people to think about the fact that the person next to them is just that, a person, even if they have a, a fish head or something, then that's important."

Re: Answer discussion question #2!

[gotyourmateria.livejournal.com]

"Overused. Way overused. It becomes less of a 'my parents raised me to follow that and be respectful of others' and more of a 'I saw this and bought for my boyfriend so he'll stop messing up my shoes' sort of thing."

Re: Answer discussion question #2!

[life_inshadow]

"Neither," Tara shared quietly. "Something being clichéd d-doesn't make it good or bad, it just means it's a cliché. Maybe the reason it's on mugs is that it is a nice sentiment."

Re: Answer discussion question #2!

[thatsamilkshake]

"Maybe the words are overused, so people stop hearing what it's supposed to mean," Francine said slowly. "Or never got it at all. It's not a magic charm that's going to protect you if you follow it. It's just a way to act. It's important to me to treat people with respect. It doesn't mean I'll get it in return."

Talk to the TAs!

[sith_happened]

Hi, ladies!

Re: Talk to the TAs!

[trigons_child]

Raven was here, as if she would ever miss this class.

Talk to Anakin [10/8]

[sith_happened]

Who looks a little tired today.

OOC

[sith_happened]

As always, make the discussions messy!