fandomhigh | Practical Philosophy, Monday

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practical philosophy

Practical Philosophy, Monday

"We talked about it a little last week," Ender said, "And since nothing catastrophic has happened since, we might as well continue on that yarn-- about identity, and specifically, the debate surrounding nature and nurture."

It was another nice-ish day, and so they were outside again. Bag of sandwiches, drinks, the works. Ender seemed fairly serene about it all.

"The nature versus nurture debate is an old one," he said. "The original progenitor of the term was the polymath Francis Galton. He approached it as something of a binary. Philosophers like John Locke claimed the nurture end was the right side of the stick - that all humans were born blank slates to be imprinted on. On the other side, you had people such as the behavioral geneticists, who felt most behaviors were derived from your DNA."

He smiled a little.

"Common wisdom dictates that this binary isn't so clear-cut," he said. "There's a little bit of nature and nurture in all of us. But how much, and how?"

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"He probably doesn't have the same experiences with them as you do," Ender pointed out. "Things look a little different from the perspective of those who aren't Jedi - and don't have the powers that go along with it."

"There's no incarnation of them that aren't murderous power-hungry liars," Cade snapped. "I can't believe I trusted him."

Well, for Cade, so...more than most people, which still wasn't much But it stung.

"Well, he was definitely a liar," Ender said mildly. "Of course, he also stayed on this island for two years and I haven't heard of any students gone missing and unaccounted for, so the jury's still out on murderous and power-hungry."

"Sith aren't stupid," Cade said. "He wouldn't blow a good cover like this on purpose."

"You think he was still Sith?" Ender asked.

"I think it's pretty clear right now that I don't know a karking thing about him," Cade replied.

"You don't know as much as you thought you did," Ender said, "And you have to re-evaluate what you do know. That doesn't mean you know nothing."

"Feels kind of like the same thing," Cade admitted.

"It's not," Ender said, "Shitty as it feels right now. Do you know why he left for Fandom?"

Cade shook his head. "We never really got into our pasts. Looking back, I can kinda guess why..."

"Maybe he got sick of it, had a change of heart," Ender said lightly. "He wouldn't be the first."

"Maybe," Cade replied doubtfully. "Would certainly explain the Sith trying to kill him. They don't like people trying to leave their club."

"As several of your relatives can attest to," Ender agreed. "Do you want pizza, by the way...?"

"I could eat," Cade agreed, nodding.

"All right," Ender said, shifting his trajectory so it would take them past Pizza Planet. "So how do you feel about him being arrested?"

"Better him than me," Cade replied. "If you're gonna do something stoopa, don't get caught too."

"I wonder if you'll feel the same way if someone shows up for you," Ender mused, coming to a stop by the restaurant.

"Of course not," Cade said. "I value my own skin more than his."

"Well, at least you're honest," Ender said. He nodded at the menu. "Take your pick, by the way - pizza's on me."

Cade considered it, then ordered one heavy on the vegetables. "We can split it."

Because saying "thank you for being here" wasn't something Cade was comfortable doing.

Ender understood his intention well enough, and that was the important part.

"Thanks," he said. "Besides, this way Ben won't be tempted to steal any."

Cade snorted. "Big baby."

"Says the teenager who sulked all through my class today," Ender said wryly.

The guy behind the counter handed him the pizza and he paid for it. "All right. To the hotel we go."

He wasn't continuing this conversation in public.

"I wasn't sulking, I was eating."

For an entire class period. And now pizza. Sure, Cade.

"Uh huh," Ender said.

He'd remain quiet for the walk home - at least, as long as Cade didn't prompt him.

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