fandomhigh | Ethics [Tuesday, September 4, 2012, 1st period]

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ethics

Ethics [Tuesday, September 4, 2012, 1st period]

Rory had left for the Democratic National Convention on Sunday, which sort of explained why Anakin looked as sleep-deprived as the rest of the students when he entered the classroom a minute late.

It also explained why he had an infant in his arms and spit-up on the shoulder of his robe. Not that he knew about the spit-up. "Sorry about this," he said, "but Christopher threw a fit at the day care center, and when your baby has Force abilities...well. Now I have to replace all of their high chairs."

Temper tantrums at Anakin's house were so much fun.

"All right," he said, "onto today's ethical dilemma: If you had to choose between killing one person in order to save five others, or doing nothing even though you know that doing nothing means that those five people would die before your eyes, what would you do? And what do you think would be the right thing to do?"

Wasn't this a fun, cheerful subject, students?

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"If you had to choose between killing one person in order to save five others, or doing nothing even though you know that doing nothing means that those five people would die before your eyes, what would you do? And what do you think would be the right thing to do?"

Make it messy, folks!

"It... I can't believe I'm saying this, but it does depend on the people, to an extent?" Alec said, rubbing his forehead. "Say the one person was in particular need of protection for some reason, or the five were... not good people. That could change things."

"The options are never that simple. I guarantee there's more options available as the situation gets less general," Jessica said. "So. number three or four, or whatever saves everyone, because the first two choices aren't good enough."

"Oh, if that's an option, then I want to go with that one too," Alec amended. "That's, yeah, that's preferable."

"Just realize that if the given options are 'kill someone' or 'let a bunch of people die,' any third option is probably going to require some kind of crazy risk to yourself and no guarantees of success," Jessica pointed out. "At that point you're risking seven lives, including your own."

"I'm pretty sure I'm still going that route every time, but it's something to keep in mind."

"Even if the situation necessitated that things go smoothly?" Alec checked. "Like if within those six people was someone you really needed to protect, no matter what?"

He wasn't arguing with her, more trying to get a feel for her resolve than anything else.

"One, nothing with high stakes ever goes smoothly in my experience," Jessica said. "Two, when it comes to people's lives, I try not to value one over another. If I really need to protect one person, then I really need to protect the other five, too."

"Which is what makes it all a pain and risky, of course, but that's the price you pay for option three."

Alec smiled a little at that. "That's -- I like your reasoning," he decided. "I don't know I'd necessarily always be able to say that, no matter what, but -- that's good, that you can."

Yeah, Sia was not going to get over seeing Darth Vader with spit-up on him anytime soon.

"It depends on who the people are and the circumstances surrounding them," Sia said, "and whether there's any alternative. The easy answer, without knowing further details, is that it's better to kill one person rather than five, but the real answer is 'whatever's necessary.'"

This question was actually going to come into play down the road, too. Like, a lot.

"I doubt the choice is ever gonna be as clear cut as that question makes it," Jim said, shaking his head. "Nothing's ever that cut and dry. You can't make an informed decision without knowing who you'd have to kill, who the five people are, what circumstances stuck you in that situation and so on. It's not possible."

He paused for a second and thought about the question again. "If I had to choose something, I'd kill one person and save five. I wouldn't particularly like it and I'd be hoping that one person was a bad guy who scared kittens and old people or something."

"It depends on the people involved," Peeta said, feeling no shame in stating that. "If that one person was someone that I cared about and the five people meant nothing to me then I would kill them. That's not to say I wouldn't feel awful about what I did, but the person I cared about would be safe."

"I'd like to save everyone." Oh youthful idealism. "If not, I guess all things being equal, I'd try to save as many people as I could...but then things like that are never really equal, are they?"

Sholeh looked surprisingly well-rested; in fact, if anyone brought up the fire drill, she'd look blankly at them in confusion. She'd slept very well last night through all the commotion. And if Zhahar seemed especially tired, Sholeh didn't notice.

"I don't think I could kill anyone," she said softly. "For me to even be able to--physically, I mean--they'd probably have to be all tied up and helpless and I don't think I could do that to someone."

"Well, you're a Jedi," Atton drawled. "You're all about that last one, right?"

Oh, Atton. No. Please.

Anakin's eyebrows tried to climb into his hair. "I beg your pardon."

"Letting people die because it's easier than getting your hands dirty," Atton explained. You know, since Anakin seemed to need an explanation.

Anakin was sleep-deprived and frustrated, which was why he made sure to count five and not beat this kid with a chair.

"My hands are plenty dirty."

"Oh, please," Atton said, rolling his eyes because he just couldn't not poke the Jedi with a stick. "You're teaching ethics? I'm willing to bet you don't actually understand a damned thing about when it's necessary to kill anyone-- or at least you've never been honest about it."

"Oh, this ought to be good," Anakin replied, wishing that Christopher could be put down. It was impossible to loom and hold an infant at the same time. "Do tell me when you believe it's necessary to kill someone."

'Because they failed me' had been good enough for Anakin for decades.

"To save your own life," Atton said, kicking back. "To save other people's lives. To keep somebody's army from razing homes down to the ground. You do what you have to, and then you don't pretend like it makes you anything better or worse than that."

"Done it, done it, and done it," Anakin retorted.

With, ahem, all of the arrogance of a Jedi.

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