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Good vs Evil: a matter of aims or a matter of means?
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<blockquote data-quote="Nebt Bhakau" data-source="post: 1919093" data-attributes="member: 22255"><p>I feel sorry for those who think this argument is merely academic. It's important for everyone to know their own morals and have good reasons for them. Roleplaying is a tool that can help us figure this out for ourselves.</p><p></p><p>Any attempt to gauge actions by 'ends' is folly. Actions have too many ends, for one thing, not all of which are forseeable. If I wage a war,(for example) what is my end? To liberate the enemy's country, of course. Or, to destroy the enemy's troops and have my way with their government. And in many cases, those two ends turn out to be one and the same. But we regard one as good and the other as evil. No, ends cannot be relied upon. One must look to intent (I intend to invade in order to liberate the oppressed populace vs. I intend to invade to expand my own holdings and make my people rich) and means (some might argue that warfare is itself an evil means).</p><p></p><p>I personally define D&D alignments as valuations of life and liberty. Good and evil reflect different valuations of life, and law and chaos reflect different valuations of liberty. Specifically, good people think life is precious, evil people think life is cheap (or that the value differs from person to person). Moral neutrals only worry about preserving their own life, not preserving or taking anyone else's. And, along the other axis, chaotics believe that individual liberty is more important, lawfuls believe that individual liberty is second to the good of the collective. Ethical neutrals are only concerned with their own liberty.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Nebt Bhakau, post: 1919093, member: 22255"] I feel sorry for those who think this argument is merely academic. It's important for everyone to know their own morals and have good reasons for them. Roleplaying is a tool that can help us figure this out for ourselves. Any attempt to gauge actions by 'ends' is folly. Actions have too many ends, for one thing, not all of which are forseeable. If I wage a war,(for example) what is my end? To liberate the enemy's country, of course. Or, to destroy the enemy's troops and have my way with their government. And in many cases, those two ends turn out to be one and the same. But we regard one as good and the other as evil. No, ends cannot be relied upon. One must look to intent (I intend to invade in order to liberate the oppressed populace vs. I intend to invade to expand my own holdings and make my people rich) and means (some might argue that warfare is itself an evil means). I personally define D&D alignments as valuations of life and liberty. Good and evil reflect different valuations of life, and law and chaos reflect different valuations of liberty. Specifically, good people think life is precious, evil people think life is cheap (or that the value differs from person to person). Moral neutrals only worry about preserving their own life, not preserving or taking anyone else's. And, along the other axis, chaotics believe that individual liberty is more important, lawfuls believe that individual liberty is second to the good of the collective. Ethical neutrals are only concerned with their own liberty. [/QUOTE]
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