Philosophies of Good & Evil, Tuesday

[suitably_heroic]

Lana nodded at the students as they settled. "Today we'll be discussing liberalism. Which is not a political point of view, but a specific moral philosophy. According to liberalism, the greatest good is freedom. The only rules and laws that are considered good are those that prevent harm to another. Anything else should be permitted. Any action that doesn't harm another is good, particularly if it helps others gain freedom."

She spread her hands. "Of course, as with other philosophies, we're left with problems of scope and math. How can you be certain what you're doing won't harm anyone else? If one action harms some, and another harms others, how do you choose? Who decides what 'harm' or 'freedom' looks like?"

"'My right to swing my fist ends where your nose begins', is the oft-quoted answer," Atton said, once again lounging behind his desk, and wearing a t-shirt with 'death metal nutritional facts' under his leather jacket. "Under this philosophy, you can construe 'evil' to be whatever gets in the way of someone else's freedom. So on the one hand, slavery, obviously evil. On the other hand, driving around your neighborhood in a big truck waving guns around? No problem, and anybody who tries to stop you from doing that because it's intimidating is a bad guy."

"So," Lana continued, "let's discuss. Is this philosophy good at its base, or is it flawed to begin? If the former, could its execution work, and what difficulties would it face? If the latter, is there a way to redeem it?"

Comments

Sign In!

[suitably_heroic]

Liberally.

Re: Sign In!

[gospel_of_oblivion]

Illyana

Listen to the Lecture

[suitably_heroic]

Or do class things while Atton and Lana talk.

Discuss!

[suitably_heroic]

Liberalism: is it a good philosophy, or is it too flawed? If the former, how could you get it to work? If the latter, can you still make it work?

Re: Discuss!

[gospel_of_oblivion]

"So they are only concerned with physical freedom, and not emotional, correct?" Illyana asked, as she was taking notes. "Because I am rather sure an argument could be made that the people with guns are deliberately taking people's emotional freedom."

Re: Discuss!

[unusual_sith]

"It's unspecified," Lana said. "And yes, you could certainly argue that those they might be intimidating are having their own freedom impinged upon. At which point we're back to, how aware do you need to be of the ripples and implications of your actions? Not necessarily in that specific instance, but in general?"

Talk to the Teachers

[suitably_heroic]

Say hi to the grumpy Jedi and the chipper Sith.

Re: Talk to the Teachers

[suitably_heroic]

Grumpy Jedi was more of a maudlin Jedi today, though. Atton spent a lot of time behind his desk, fiddling with his fingerless gloves, but otherwise his focus was inward.

Re: Talk to the Teachers

[unusual_sith]

Cheerful Sith was pleasant today, though she was curiously eyeing her coteacher.

OOC

[suitably_heroic]

by sovonight