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<blockquote data-quote="nevin" data-source="post: 9891745" data-attributes="member: 7024481">Alignments are just simplistic versions of Moral and ethical codes.&nbsp; So yes they do exist in real life. There are just no actual gods or powers that step in and smack you around if you violate the ethical agreement you've agreed to follow.&nbsp;&nbsp; As a base crutch for a DM or a God or Power worshipping character they give you a simple easy version of what the range of actions that are going to be allowed are.&nbsp;&nbsp; For non worshipping characters it's a non issue even in game until death or taking the character to the local Church and the god says.&nbsp; &quot;nope not this one.&quot;&nbsp;&nbsp; Which should&nbsp; be something that players who think they might want a ressurection should be afraid of.&nbsp; &nbsp; But the argument goes on and on because it always devolves into alignment somehow explaining personality, education, willlingness to follow laws etc.&nbsp;&nbsp; Which is stupid because there are usually 100 reasons for every action that have nothing to do with a moral or ethical code that come into play on every decision that is made by anyone in most cases.&nbsp; For instance a CE character may be the &quot;publicly&quot; the most lawful and orderly person you ever met.&nbsp; The appearance of being lawful and orderly calms people down, increases trust and makes them much easier victims of blackmail, murder or whatever floats their boat.&nbsp; &nbsp; Action is not alignments,&nbsp; Alignments do not dictate actions. They simply justify them.&nbsp; Alignment is the internal moral code that defines why the action was taken.&nbsp;&nbsp; Almost any action can in the right circumstances be&nbsp; committed by multiple alignments&nbsp; who all will justify it differently.&nbsp; &nbsp; This is why Alignment discussions on internet forums are such cesspools of vagary and just downright unlogical and emotional thinking.&nbsp;&nbsp; People want it to be simple easy and black and white.&nbsp; murder is bad...(unless the guy you murdered was a servant of Asmodeus and you had to murder him to stop a satanic invasion.....see&nbsp; the reason you made the decision changes everything).&nbsp;&nbsp; Now it could also be that he got murdered because the Priest was restricting free choice to save the sinners. (CG)&nbsp; something lawful types are going to hate just as much as they do the CE guy doing it because the Priest was just the guy he decided to kill that day.&nbsp; &nbsp; See I've just justified murder as a LG, CG and CE.&nbsp; And your LN lawman is going to hang them all three because murder is wrong.&nbsp; I can do this with any alignment with almost any action.&nbsp; Not all some are clear cut but most aren't.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="nevin, post: 9891745, member: 7024481"] Alignments are just simplistic versions of Moral and ethical codes. So yes they do exist in real life. There are just no actual gods or powers that step in and smack you around if you violate the ethical agreement you've agreed to follow. As a base crutch for a DM or a God or Power worshipping character they give you a simple easy version of what the range of actions that are going to be allowed are. For non worshipping characters it's a non issue even in game until death or taking the character to the local Church and the god says. "nope not this one." Which should be something that players who think they might want a ressurection should be afraid of. But the argument goes on and on because it always devolves into alignment somehow explaining personality, education, willlingness to follow laws etc. Which is stupid because there are usually 100 reasons for every action that have nothing to do with a moral or ethical code that come into play on every decision that is made by anyone in most cases. For instance a CE character may be the "publicly" the most lawful and orderly person you ever met. The appearance of being lawful and orderly calms people down, increases trust and makes them much easier victims of blackmail, murder or whatever floats their boat. Action is not alignments, Alignments do not dictate actions. They simply justify them. Alignment is the internal moral code that defines why the action was taken. Almost any action can in the right circumstances be committed by multiple alignments who all will justify it differently. This is why Alignment discussions on internet forums are such cesspools of vagary and just downright unlogical and emotional thinking. People want it to be simple easy and black and white. murder is bad...(unless the guy you murdered was a servant of Asmodeus and you had to murder him to stop a satanic invasion.....see the reason you made the decision changes everything). Now it could also be that he got murdered because the Priest was restricting free choice to save the sinners. (CG) something lawful types are going to hate just as much as they do the CE guy doing it because the Priest was just the guy he decided to kill that day. See I've just justified murder as a LG, CG and CE. And your LN lawman is going to hang them all three because murder is wrong. I can do this with any alignment with almost any action. Not all some are clear cut but most aren't. [/QUOTE]

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