Final Ethics Class, Friday 8-10am

[brambless.livejournal.com]

"Over the course of this term, we've looked a lot at your personal moral stance on things. Today we're going to be looking more generally - on how morals are taught to children, often insidiously.

"A good medium for this is fairy tales. Every culture has them - stories that are told to children, bearing little moral gems to shape and guide. The first thing I want you to do is a select a fairy tale. Don't worry if it's not one I'll know, just pick one you're familiar with."

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[sensethevisions]

Phoebe nodded. "Exactly. Put in that situation, I probably would do the same thing. I cannot see willfully harming the one I love, no matter what I may get afterwards. I would rather die, even if the one I love doesn't return that love."

[brambless.livejournal.com]

Echoing Phoebe's nod, Tara asks, "and what about the family side of it? Her sisters? Are there moral or ethical issues with them?"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe bit her lip. "In the eyes of her sisters, I'm sure they thought they were doing the right thing in getting a weapon to kill the reason their sister was going to die. Although the ethics in that are hazy at best, I can definitely see their motivation." She paused and looked down. She was glad that Cole was there to hear this and to hold her. She took a breath and then looked back up at Tara. If it were my sister, Piper, I would do whatever I could to save her and morals be damned."

[demonbelthazor]

"So what if the sisters killed the Prince to save the mermaid?" Cole murmured. "How would the mermaid feel then?"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe swallowed, hard. She looked down at where she was holding Cole's hand and she squeezed his hand in hers.

"She wouldn't let it get to that. If she loved him enough to give up everything for him, she wouldn't let her sisters kill him. She would die, first, preventing that from happening." She looked up and met Cole's eyes. "It is her decision to let her beloved live happily with the woman he loves."

[demonbelthazor]

"But it could happen," Cole persisted. "As you just said, if it were Piper, you would do whatever you could to save her and morals be damned. The mermaid's sisters are doing the same. What if the Prince is flawed and does not deserve the mermaid's love? Don't they have the right to save her then, even if she loves him?"

[sensethevisions]

"Do they have the right to decide whether he is flawed or not? I don't think so. Yes, they want what's best for me their sister, but what right do they have to decide if he deserves her heart or not? The mermaid has chosen to give her heart to the Prince. It is her decision, free will and all of that."

Phoebe frowned for a long moment.

"IThe Mermaid chose to love the Prince, flawed or not. She has loved him since she saved his life...even though he thinks another has saved it."

[demonbelthazor]

"But what if you were one of the sisters?" Cole said. "What would you do then? What if Piper would let herself die rather than harm me the Prince?"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe is torn by the questions and it is obvious from her eyes that she doesn't like the answer.

"To save Piper, I'd do anything I had to do..."

[demonbelthazor]

Cole nodded, clasping her hand in both of his. "Nothing wrong with that. The sisters want to see the mermaid live. They have to make a judgment call on if the mermaid's sacrifice is noble or not."

[sensethevisions]

"The sisters want their sister to live more than anything. They were willing to give up part of themselves and their morals to get their sister to kill youthe Prince. They see saw him as nothing more than the instrument of their sister's destruction."

Phoebe looked at him solemnly, forgetting that they were in the middle of an actual class.

"I The mermaid was willing to die to ensure the happiness and safety of the Prince...whom she loved more than anything. She went to the Sea Witch and she sacrificed everything she was for a chance at love."

[demonbelthazor]

"If she's right, then hopefully her sisters will respect her decision," Cole said. "If she's wrong, then they should save her. Not an easy call to make.

"But what if the Prince didn't want her to die? What if he had known the truth, in his heart he'd rather she kill him?" he added.

[sensethevisions]

"I am right."

Phoebe shook her head. "The Prince..." She searched his eyes. "...made his choice. He wanted the maiden instead of the mermaid..." She sighed. "Why would the Prince care if I the Mermaid died for him?"

[demonbelthazor]

"I don't know the full story," Cole said. "Did the Prince care for her at all? Did he love her?"

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe bit her lip and her eyes are sad.

"He cared for her because she reminded him of the woman he loved more than anything."

[demonbelthazor]

"Then if he cared for her at all, he wouldn't want her to die," Cole said.

[sensethevisions]

Phoebe bit her lip. "However, he set her aside as soon as he saw his bride-to-be." She looked down and sighed softly. "One of them were going to have to die..."