Magical Ethics: Week 7, Period 1

[justagalegirl.livejournal.com]

"Last class before Spring Break," Alysha announced once the bell rang and everyone was in their seats. "Which means I hope you all are prepared for the midterm exam."

She paused for a second, wondering if anyone would flip out.

"Nah, just kidding," she said with a vague note of apology. "We're talking about mind magic today though so you may would rather have an exam."

She leaned against her desk as she continued, "I know this might be sensitive to some of you - more so than some of our other discussions, so I'm going to ask that you all try even more than normal to keep it civil and polite. No one knows everything another has been through."

"So - mind magic. Magic, talents, telepathy, whatever you want to call it that can affect someone else's mind. Where's the line? Is it okay if you have some sort of truth sensing to use that without another's knowledge? Can you read their thoughts - or emotions - and use that knowledge to influence your arguments and sway them more easily? Can you nudge someone else into agreeing with you? What if your friend's in love with a totally unsuitable guy -" sigh Michael. What the hell. "- can you change his mind? If it's for his own good? What if someone wants to kill herself? Can you force her to step back from the ledge? Or say someone wants to kill someone else?"

Alysha surveyed the class, looking for the first reactions. "I want to look at the grey areas here especially. There's not usually a lot that's black and white when we're talking about what you can do to other people's minds."

"So, looking at that, if you think something - say charming someone into only telling the truth or whatever your example is - is okay, are there any circumstances where it wouldn't be okay? Or only certain circumstances where it would be okay?"

"In my family, just as an example, there are things you can do to a family member that you wouldn't usually do to someone who's not in the family. So if you-" she nodded to Edmund if he was there "- were my brother, I wouldn't have a problem charming you so you can't drink alcohol if I thought it'd be good for you. Since you're not my brother - and I'm sure you're thankful for that - I wouldn't ever do that without your permission." Well. Mostly. Probably.

"And that's the discussion for today. If I don't see you before the break, I hope you all have a great one."

Comments

Sign in [2-16]

[justagalegirl.livejournal.com]

Like you're ready for break.

Re: Sign in [2-16]

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

Edmund Pevensie

Listen to the Lecture [2-16]

[justagalegirl.livejournal.com]

Or react to the mean.

Or take notes.

Re: Listen to the Lecture [2-16]

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

As Alysha talked, Edmund found himself getting a headache. This was going to be a long class.

Re: Listen to the Lecture [2-16]

[glacial_queen]

Oh, this was going to be a good class. Karla could tell.

Re: Listen to the Lecture [2-16]

[walks-two-paths.livejournal.com]

Savannah was busy writing a couple of notes down as she listened to Alysha.

Re: Listen to the Lecture [2-16]

[youcantfollow.livejournal.com]

Listening to the lecture, Griff wondered just how civil class would stay. Or at least for how long things would be calm.

Re: Listen to the Lecture [2-16]

[intraspective]

Ino was just going to sulk into her notes and resolve to keep her mouth absolutely shut on this whole topic.

Yeah huh. Not saying anything. Ino's eyes glittered as she stared at her notes.

And quite possibly was trying not to look over at another certain blonde. Awwwkward. Oh man.

Re: Listen to the Lecture [2-16]

[stylin-wizard.livejournal.com]

Alex took notes, knowing exactly what her brother would say if he'd heard this lecture. This would certainly be an interesting class.

Re: Listen to the Lecture [2-16]

[puppy_fair]

Zack's gaze fell to his desk and his toes scuffed against the floor during today's lecture.

Yep. This one hit a personal chord, alright.

Re: Listen to the Lecture [2-16]

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

Leda was looking rather queasy today. Maybe it was the subject matter. She tapped her pencil rhythmically against her black leather wrist band. Eesh, mind control. Brrrr!

Discussion [2-16]

[justagalegirl.livejournal.com]

"So - mind magic. Magic, talents, telepathy, whatever you want to call it that can affect someone else's mind. Where's the line? Is it okay if you have some sort of truth sensing to use that without another's knowledge? Can you read their thoughts - or emotions - and use that knowledge to influence your arguments and sway them more easily? Can you nudge someone else into agreeing with you? What if your friend's in love with a totally unsuitable guy -" sigh Michael. What the hell. "- can you change his mind? If it's for his own good? What if someone wants to kill herself? Can you force her to step back from the ledge? Or say someone wants to kill someone else?"

"I want to look at the grey areas here especially. There's not usually a lot that's black and white when we're talking about what you can do to other people's minds."

"So, looking at that, if you think something - say charming someone into only telling the truth or whatever your example is - is okay, are there any circumstances where it wouldn't be okay? Or only certain circumstances where it would be okay?

Re: Discussion [2-16]

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

"Manipulating someone's mind," Edmund said with a quieter voice than he usually used, "is abusing them."

Re: Discussion [2-16]

[glacial_queen]

"For my people, the only hard and fast rule is not to touch a landen's mind with our own," Karla said quietly. "They can't handle the psychic strength and their minds burn to ash if we try. Usually they die immediately afterwards."

But not always.

"It's considered bad manners to go beyond someone's inner barriers without permission, but there are reasons that it can be done and not all of them are bad. As for reading someone's emotions--well, I can read psychic scents. It tells me a lot about that person: strength, caste, emotions...all sorts of things. I can't not notice it. But I don't think tailoring my responses to their emotional cues is any different than being particularly adept at reading body language. If they truly feel strongly about something, I won't be able to change their minds, even if I can read their emotions to make my arguments stronger."

Re: Discussion [2-16]

[trigons_child]

"I would never use my gifts to influence someone to agree with me," Raven said. "Unless perhaps if their own safety was a concern."

Or if she needed to form a band of superheroes to fight her father. Details.

Re: Discussion [2-16]

[life_inshadow]

"I don't think it's ever okay to play with somebody's mind," Tara said softly. "My family lied to me about my powers, my whole life. It wasn't quite the same, but -- I couldn't do that to someone else magically. Not unless it was literally life or death."

Re: Discussion [2-16]

[elephantgadget.livejournal.com]

"I have no ability to influence people's minds, only animals," Helen said, "but some of the priests could. I always felt that one should not influence another without permission unless lives were at risk."

Re: Discussion [2-16]

[noteviltwin.livejournal.com]

"I think you should put the same rules to mind abilities you do to physical," Andy said. "No going around hurting people, but if it's to save yourself or others, or if it's something that's not hurting anyone then I don't see why not."

Re: Discussion [2-16]

[oops-mbad.livejournal.com]

Diana gnawed on her bottom lip for a bit before working out an answer. "Making someone do something they don't want to is always bad, no matter how you do it. But sometimes you need to make a person forget they saw something that should be impossible or compel them to walk away from a dangerous situation or one that is about to turn dangerous. And well, regular people can't lie to me. It's not something I can even turn off."

Re: Discussion [2-16]

[anarchist-queen.livejournal.com]

"Shouldn't it be a parent's perogative to do that non-drinking charm? Not a sibling. And after a certain age I don't think even a parent would have the right to do that."

Re: Discussion [2-16]

[likethegun]

"I think there's only certain situations where it's okay. Emergency type things," Sam said. "I can probably mess with someone's mind, but I can't imagine doing it unless I was defending myself or needed really, really important information."

Talk to the TAs [2-16]

[justagalegirl.livejournal.com]

When they are there.

Re: Talk to the TAs [2-16]

[once-a-traitor.livejournal.com]

Edmund was sitting off to the side, his notebook untouched.

Talk to Alysha [2-16]

[justagalegirl.livejournal.com]

Who is definitely there.

OOC [2-16]

[justagalegirl.livejournal.com]

\o/

There's more hockey todaaaaaaay!

Re: OOC [2-16]

[weetuskenraider]

HOCKEY HOCKEY HOCKEY WHEEEEEEEEEEEEE.