Philosophy classroom: Ethics class #4, Friday, 8-10am

[brambless.livejournal.com]

[ooc: My deepest apologies for posting this so late.]

Tara smiles worriedly as the students come in, checking face after face.

"Today's topic is power and responsibility, and I would like to remind you all that your grade comes from your discussion, not your presence. If you don't feel comfortable talking, write something down and hand it in to me. Being a silent warm body in the classroom is no different than not turning up."

[ooc: And I would remind you that I leave posts open for the whole week. If you post 'shows up and takes a seat' I know you're still alive, but you need to actually address the discussion topics to pass the class.]

Comments

Before class starts

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"I know a lot of you are upset about Kitty Pryde - and you have every right to be. I'm sure every class has already discussed the issue, so I'm not going to dwell. However, this has drawn my attention to my class list. Has anybody seen Archie Kennedy? Any time in the last two weeks? It's not like him to miss class - but I don't care where you've seen him. In the dorms, in the town, in another class... If you have seen him at all, I need you to come and talk to me now."

Re: Before class starts

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

Lisa raises her hand, "Have you asked Harry Potter? He's his roommate. I live on the same floor but I haven't seen Archie in a while, and he's was kicked out of Math for not showing up. But if he's been around I'm sure Harry could tell you."

Re: Before class starts

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

John walks in, and just shy of wearing footie pajamas and clutching a worn teddy bear, looks like a sleepy child.

First Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Power and Responsibility, I said. Now, I know we've got a mix in this classroom of students, some of whom have actual powers. Superpowers, even. Today I'd like you each to assume you all do. What superpowers is up to you - even if it's just wealth and status - but to put us on a level, we're all extraordinary. This is just us, though. Assume that you're in the vast minority, and the world still consists of ordinary human beings.

What are your responsibilities? To your family, to your friends, to your society - to yourself? Discuss."

Re: First Hour

[demonbelthazor]

"Power doesn't make you responsible. It just makes it easier to get what you want."

Re: First Hour

[valentine-tart.livejournal.com]

Beka sighed. "Power makes no difference, Prof. It's all one. My first responsibility is to stay alive and make sure no one else gets hurt trying to keep me that way. My second responsibility is to protect what's mine. And that includes my people. If I have another responsibility, it's to try not to hurt people unnecessarily."

Re: First Hour

[absolutesnark]

"I feel that people with a superpower that could potentially harm someone should be responsible for the safety of those around them."

Re: First Hour

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

"I guess I would follow the Hippocratic Oath (http://www.geocities.com/everwild7/noharm.html) doing what I can to the best of my abilities, while respecting the sovereignty of others and trying to keep those around me as healthy as I am able to. I have a problem imagining myself with some sort of superpower - what's more powerful than holding someone's life in your hands, really? Life is about balance, and compromise, and doing the best you can with what you have. I can't imagine having special abilities would change that outlook, or my feelings of responsibility, one way or another. As a human, I use medicine as my way to help people, if I had special powers, I would use those."

Re: First Hour

[bridge-carson.livejournal.com]

"Well," Bridge says thoughtfully. "I'm a metahuman. I can sense emotions and read energy signatures. And though it's really cool and can be useful in dangerous situations and emergencies, like if I'm being attacked I can use it to sense my opponent's next move- I have a responsibility to not use it casually, like to find out if the girl down the hall likes me, because that would be an invasion of privacy. On the other hand, if someone was acting really strangely, I think I'd have the responsibility to use my abilities, because maybe I could help figure out what was wrong."

Re: First Hour

[sooo_cute]

"Why should I be more responsible because I have a thing?" Quinn asks. "I mean, it has to be like being Cindy Crawford tall, you know? You've got this thing that makes you different but you shouldn't have to do anything you don't want to."

Re: First Hour

[mparkerceo.livejournal.com]

"If we have power..." Parker pauses. "We have the responsibility to use it carefully. Without causing unwitting damage to others. We have the responsibility to not allow others to coerce us into using it unwisely. To our friends? Maybe making their lives a little easier, if they need and want that. To society? To not abuse it; to not make others's lives more difficult, across that divide."

"To ourselves... to possess that power as fully as possible, in the sense of being both responsible, and aware of it, but also of enjoying the freedom it gives us."

Re: First Hour

[kawalsky.livejournal.com]

"People don't automatically have responsibilities because they have power over someone else, whether it's a superpower or just a relationship where someone is subordinate to them. People choose to have responsibilities. If they ignore it, then it's not really there, because responsibilities are something that people make up. What one person thinks should be the responsibilities for a position is different to another. So it's all about choice. If you have power, you aren't responsible for anything. You can choose to be, though."

Re: First Hour

[psycho-barbie.livejournal.com]

"Power does not automatically come with responsibilities. However if you wish to keep any power you may have, it's a good idea to use it in a responsible fashion."

Re: First Hour

[wraithbaitjohn.livejournal.com]

Power brings responsibility. Even if you don't necessarily want it - either one of them.

Re: First Hour

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"To family, carry on the genes and makes sure the rest of the family carries on their genes. Protect, assist, instruct."

"To friends, help them through difficult times, offer support, and be available for when they neeed problems. This is in addition to being stupid funny when hanging out."

"To society, uphold most of the commonly held beliefs (murder is bad, cannibalism isn't yay, gremlins make good soccer balls) as long as you agree with them, and work to change the ones you don't like. stupid weapons ban..."

"To myself? Survive."

Re: First Hour

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe is shaken after everything that had happened this week.

"With great power comes great responsibility, whether you want it or not." She closed her eyes for a moment and tried to regain her emotions.

"If you have friends and loved ones, you'll have to try to protect them---even if they think they don't want you to."

Re: First Hour

[auroryborealis.livejournal.com]

"I think we're all responsible to treat others fairly. Beyond that, it's a question of personal ideals."

Re: First Hour

[fh_jackass]

"My responsibilities would be the same as they are now - to protect the people I care about," Logan says.

Re: First Hour

[forlornslayer.livejournal.com]

Buffy looked at Tara for a long moment and then smiled faintly.

"Sometimes, you can get caught up in the feeling that you are supposed to protect and save everyone around you...and you neglect the fact that sometimes you need taken care of, too."

Second Hour

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Okay, now let's take a different viewpoint. What right do you have to save anyone? Without their express, explicit permission, how can you be sure you're doing the right thing? I'd like you to split up into pairs. One of you is going to play the hero, the other is going to be a rescuee who didn't want to be rescued - you can choose why. Talk it out, and then switch places. I'll give you 45 minutes, and then you'll report back to the group."

((OOC: Red Appreciation Day is eating my brain. Sorry for the further delay on this. Call it verisimilitude.))

Re: Second Hour

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

Lisa looks very disturbed by the question, and looks around for a partner.

Second Hour - the report back

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Okay, so what have you come up with?"

Re: Second Hour - the report back

[apocalypsesoon.livejournal.com]

"Me 'n Kawalsky are ready, Teach."

The Emo Closet

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Should it be needed.

Re: The Emo Closet

[sensethevisions]

For the first time, Phoebe is glad of the closet. Dropping Cole's hand, she gets in there and shuts the door as quickly as she can.

Amazing, it wasn't the Master/Slave assignment that had sent her running to it, but this one on power and responsibility.

Some Charmed One you are. You couldn't even protect your friend.

OOC

[brambless.livejournal.com]

OOC discussion, as always.

Re: OOC

[lisacuddy.livejournal.com]

First Hour - extra credit question

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara waves for everyone's attention, breaking up the private discussions. When there is silence, she smiles at John Sheppard.

"Today's extra credit question comes from John. People who don't have power expect certain things of those who do - and often guilt trip them into the responsibility. Who, then, really has the power? The 'superhero', or the public? And if the public, what responsibility do they have to the individual whose life they commandeer?"

Re: First Hour - extra credit question

[wraithbaitjohn.livejournal.com]

*blushes, not really sure he wants everyone staring at him in this class*

Um... I don't have to answer this, 'cause it's my question, right?

*Holds up little gold star and smiles hopefully*