Ethics [Tuesday, September 13, 2011]

[sith_happened]

"Hello, class," Anakin said. "Welcome back to this, the second day after my granddaughter's wedding... I trust that by being in class, you have recovered from the weekend and are no longer praying for death or amnesia, and will be able to participate fully in this discussion."

He went to the board and scrawled: "Utilitarianism: it is the greatest happiness of the greatest number that is the measure of right and wrong," then turned to face his students. "Do you think this is true? If what gives the majority pleasure is watching Christians getting eaten by lions, or a four-day-marathon of Fear Factor, does that make it right? What will protect the rights of the individual--who in this example might be a Christian who enjoys PBS--or do those really matter?"

Comments

Answer the discussion questions! [9/13]

[sith_happened]

"If what gives the majority pleasure is watching Christians getting eaten by lions, or a four-day-marathon of Fear Factor, does that make it right? What will protect the rights of the individual--who in this example might be a Christian who enjoys PBS--or do those really matter?"

Re: Answer the discussion questions! [9/13]

[tripledmyself.livejournal.com]

"People don't give a flying fu -- fudge about people who live on the fringes of society who have different beliefs," Nathan stated, shaking his head. "Where d'you think the whole 'majority rules' thing comes from? People elect world leaders by a majority so obviously those people who are in the minority are gonna have to fight and scrape and claw and whine and everything else to get noticed. No, it's not right but it's how things go. Easiest way to govern countries of eight gillion people, mate."

Re: Answer the discussion questions! [9/13]

[knight-fatali.livejournal.com]

Seifer just pointed at Nathan. "What he said."

Re: Answer the discussion questions! [9/13]

[twintuitionist.livejournal.com]

"I think it depends," Juliet answered, as she glanced up from her phone. "Of course I totally oppose feeding people to lions, but if it's something like a TV show or a movie some individuals don't like, they can always turn it off."

Re: Answer the discussion questions! [9/13]

[regretiz4suckas.livejournal.com]

"'Course they matter. Doesn't mean anyone in power's going to care," Kenzi said making a face at the metaphor. "There should be some kind of bare minimum."

Re: Answer the discussion questions! [9/13]

[whitequeensfire.livejournal.com]

"Just because the majority like something doesn't make it right," Angelica said, squirming a little in her seat. "In my world, people who are born with powers are treated pretty badly. And right now the majority of people seem to be OK with that. But it's not right."

Re: Answer the discussion questions! [9/13]

[godgavemecable.livejournal.com]

"Well, how are we defining 'majority'?" Toby had to ask. "I mean, in this example, if the people who want to watch Christians get eaten by lions are the biggest group, what if the people who don't and the people who don't care either way outnumber them? Or if some of the people who like watching people get eaten by lions would be just as happy, or at least okay with, watching something else?" The art of compromise was practically a requirement of Canadian citizenship, after all.

Re: Answer the discussion questions! [9/13]

[i-am-the-rat.livejournal.com]

"There's a Fear Factor marathon on?!?!?!?! DUUUUUDE!!!"