Reply to thread

Message

<blockquote data-quote="FireLance" data-source="post: 3249817" data-attributes="member: 3424">This seems to be the classic clash between deontological (duty-based) and consequentialist (outcome-based) ethics. Essentially, deont ethics states that you should not take an evil action, even if the consequences are good, while conseq ethics states that you should take an evil action if the consequences are good. &quot;Good by any means necessary&quot; would fall squarely within the domain of conseq ethics.D&amp;D morality (especially for paladins and exalted characters) generally appears to follow deont ethics, although there one or two elements that seem to have a conseq slant, such as the previously-mentioned Shadowbane Inquisitor.Bear in mind, though, that a single evil act generally does not change a character's alignment, so it is possible to have Good characters who are prepared to take evil actions for the greater good, provided they only do them regretfully and as a last resort, not as a matter of expediency, and provided they do not do them often. Paladins would probably still have to lose their powers until they atone, though.</blockquote>

[QUOTE="FireLance, post: 3249817, member: 3424"] This seems to be the classic clash between deontological (duty-based) and consequentialist (outcome-based) ethics. Essentially, deont ethics states that you should not take an evil action, even if the consequences are good, while conseq ethics states that you should take an evil action if the consequences are good. "Good by any means necessary" would fall squarely within the domain of conseq ethics. D&D morality (especially for paladins and exalted characters) generally appears to follow deont ethics, although there one or two elements that seem to have a conseq slant, such as the previously-mentioned Shadowbane Inquisitor. Bear in mind, though, that a single evil act generally does not change a character's alignment, so it is possible to have Good characters who are prepared to take evil actions for the greater good, provided they only do them regretfully and as a last resort, not as a matter of expediency, and provided they do not do them often. Paladins would probably still have to lose their powers until they atone, though. [/QUOTE]

Verification