fandomhigh | Ethics Class [Tuesdday, November 1, 2011, 1st period]

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ethics

Ethics Class [Tuesdday, November 1, 2011, 1st period]

Anakin leaned against his desk at the front of the classroom. "According to many modern liberals," he began, "moral obligations can arise in only two ways: First, there are universal duties that we owe to every being, like the duty to avoid harming people unnecessarily. Second, there are voluntary obligations that we acquire by consent, as when we agree to help someone or promise to be faithful to our partners and friends. According to many modern liberals, there are no other types of moral obligation."

He began pacing between the desks. "Critics of liberalism disagree. They say there is a third type of moral obligation that is neither universal nor voluntary. We can be morally obligated to a particular community even though we haven’t assumed the obligation voluntarily. Obligations of membership and loyalty can arise from shared identities, communities, and traditions—because we’re someone’s son or daughter, someone’s friend, a member of a particular community, or a citizen of a particular country or planet. The Jedi Order in my time worried about such obligations and how they might affect our Order's larger mission to provide justice to the galaxy at large without prejudice, so those who were trained as Jedi were removed from their family and homeworlds as soon as possible--often as infants or toddlers."

He waved a hand, looking slightly embarrassed. "But that was just one solution. Who do you think is right--the liberals who only see two obligations, or their critics?"

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Talk, trade Halloween candy with your classmates, catch a final nap before Anakin comes in and lectures...

Annie was looking over her notes as she usually did before class, and if she was pondering a Starburst from yesterday, well, could you blame her?

Feeling obligated.

Luke Castellan

Topher Brink

Peter Wiggin

Lex Luthor

Jack Carter

Annie Edison

Richie Ryan

Juliet Darling

Nathan Young

Mercy Thompson

Hanna Marin

Kenzi

Tony Stark

Seifer Almasy

Hank Venture

What do you think of this new concept?

Hank was having a hard time understanding the topic. Rather than admit it, he stroked his chin and looked thoughtful.

Do we have only two obligations: to society at large and to those we choose voluntarily, or are their involuntary obligations we also gain simply by being part of a family, group, or nation?

"Um. Would having obligations to society at large also cover obligations we gain by being a part of a family, group or nation?" Jack asked. "And even then I think all obligations are voluntary. I know plenty of people who ignore all obligations."

Jack might be including himself in that last one.

"I guess I'm a liberal," Juliet decided, after wrestling with the question for a moment. "I think we should be nice to our families and stuff, but I don't think we have to. Like, not if your family is really bad people, or they're hurting you, or whatever."

"There are definitely involuntary obligations, though I don't know if I'd want to call it that," Annie said. "But maybe you don't want to go to a holiday gathering but you do anyway because it's family. It's just what you do."

"I know I feel like I have obligations just because of the... family or 'group' I grew up in," Mercy said. "There are things I need to do because of that obligation."

Even if she wasn't pack. But then, death as the alternative to keeping her mouth shut about things was a pretty effective deterrent.

"I don't think we're obligated to do anything," Hank decided. "That sort of weak 'responsibility' stuff is for grown-ups and losers."

"If you caught your brother--in this scenario you have a brother--cheating on an exam, should you turn him in for the sake of fairness? Or should you keep quiet out of loyalty? Are you under two competing obligations, or is your sense of loyalty a prejudice you should overcome?"

Jack thought about it for a bit before shrugging. "Turn him in to my parents. Mostly because I'm a tattletale though not because of any sake of fairness. I'd probably do the same with one of my classmates but that would be for fairness sake. Now a friend? That one I'd probably hold back on out of loyalty."

Jack frowned.

"That doesn't say a lot about my family, does it?"

"Which brother?" Juliet wanted to know. "No way would I turn in Jeremy, 'cause he's covered for me a ton, but if it was Brian I would. He'd totally sell me out if things were the other way around."

It was possible she was missing the point.

"I think I'd give him the option to come clean himself first," said Annie slowly. "It's not right, so I think I'd try to make him see why what he did was wrong before anything."

And then she'd turn the sucker in. Don't ruin the curve, hypothetical brother.

"I grew up in a place where lying was really pretty hard to get away with, so cheating really wasn't much of a concern," Mercy said. "But... yeah, I'd probably turn him in - give him a chance to come clean first, sure, but cheating's only going to hurt him in the long run."

"Not my job to turn someone in for cheating," Richie said. He'd never had a brother. "Maybe if there was something in it for me. But what do I care if he cheated? Unless it really affects me, why would I say anything? I guess if I had a brother I liked I'd keep quiet so he didn't get busted, but if I didn't like him then maybe I'd turn him in just so he'd get in trouble. But I don't think loyalty's a bad thing. Why would you need to overcome it?"

"It depends on whether he's competing against me," Hank answered frankly. "I mean, if he cheats in order to do better than me, that's not fair at ALL. But if it doesn't matter which of us gets the better score, then he'd better help me cheat, too!"

Who are under an obligation to answer your questions.

Lex would wonder if he as obligated to answer them truthfully though.

Who is under a similar obligation.

How is it November already? Make it stop.

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Ethics Class [Tuesdday, November 1, 2011, 1st period]

Mingle Before Class [11/1]

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Sign in [11/1]

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Listen to the lecture [11/1]

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Answer the discussion question [11/1]

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Follow-up question [11/1]

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Talk to the TAs

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Talk to Anakin [11/1]

OOC