Philosophy class #5, Thursday, 2-4pm

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Tara looks exhausted. She snaps straight into business, without any of her usual smiles for incoming students.

"Still on free will, folks. The principle of alternate possibilities, also known as the could-have-done-otherwise principle.

"In a nutshell: if I cast a spell on you to make you, oh... hop on one leg - that's not free will, right? It was a spell, not your choice.

"Now that's a trivial example. Let's take a more extreme one. At this moment you are sitting there, not attacking me. I'm very, very grateful for this, by the way, and I urge you all to maintain that state of affairs. However - is that free will? The events of your life and personality have led you to this moment in time. In this moment do you have the ability to make another choice? Or is it so far beyond who you are and what is appropriate in this forum that it is not a choice? What if I cast a spell on you to prevent you from attacking me? Does the fact that you're not still remain your free will, or have I removed that?"

[ooc: And many thanks to Wilson, both for improving my somewhat emo mood, and pointing out that I posted in this the wrongest possible place.]

Comments

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Breathing a small sigh of relief, Tara drops her hand to her lap and nods. "Thank you."

[demonbelthazor]

"I'll be sure to pass on your concern to him if I see him," Belthazor said. "He'll be touched."

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"I'm sure he knows," Tara murmurs. "I've not kept it a secret how important he is."

[demonbelthazor]

"Let's just hope more people feel like you, then," Belthazor said. "Lynch mobs with pitchforks and torches might make him feel a little unwelcome."

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"His life is more important than mine," Tara says calmly, determination in every line of her face. "I'll stand between him and the mob, if need be."