Ethics [Tuesday, September 6, 2011, 1st period]

[sith_happened]

Today's class was taking place in the Danger Shop where there wasn't a desk to be found: only a cloudless day, a beating sun and apparent kilometers of oceans surrounding five small dingies that were neatly labeled with four or five students' names, or in one case, four students and one lemur.

Anakin's voice came over the speaker system: "Welcome to your first practical Ethics class. You've all been shipwrecked. In a moment, the dingy you're in will be the only thing you will see. There is no land for hundreds of kilometers, no fresh water, and you've run out of food. The only resources you have are the other people--or in one case, the people and lemur--you have in the boat. Will you turn to cannibalism? If so, who will be the first to go?"

Hope you weren't hungry for breakfast, class.

"Again, if you'd prefer not to participate in this class, shake your head strongly and you will be taken out of the simulation."

With that the students were apparently left to their own devices.

Comments

Re: Dingy 1

[lockestheway]

Peter paused. "What brand of democracy are we laboring under?" he asked. "Because I'm pretty sure you have to make a reasonable attempt to make it possible for me to vote before you can mark me off as absentee."

Re: Dingy 1

[hasadestiny]

That would be the stuck in a boat with no oversight committee kind, Peter. "Oh, we did," Lex assured him. "But even taking into account your assumed vote it was three to one."

Re: Dingy 1

[lockestheway]

"Sure, but if we simply have a democratic system supporting a republic," Peter said, sensibly, "We're going to have to put the vote to an elected official, first."

He wasn't even going to pretend he took any of this seriously, because, well: actual peace treaty versus fake shipwreck.

Actually, if he convinced his classmates to eat him, maybe Anakin would let him out early...

Re: Dingy 1

[hasadestiny]

"Given how small the voting population is, we went with direct democracy instead of representative." Lionel probably would have said Athenian, but then Peter might have argued the girls' votes didn't count.

Re: Dingy 1

[lockestheway]

"That sounds like a constitutional decision," Peter mused. "I'm pretty sure you need unanimity for that, you know?"

On the other hand, arguing with this guy might give him some more inspiration for the Locke Proposal...

Re: Dingy 1

[hasadestiny]

"No. Just a simple majority."