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The 'Wonderland'-Inspired Faces of the RAGE OF DEMONS
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<blockquote data-quote="pemerton" data-source="post: 7671194" data-attributes="member: 42582"><p>Two thoughts in response.</p><p></p><p>The first is a more-or-less scholastic point of AD&D alignment interpretation: in his DMG Gygax says of evil that it "does not concern itself with rights or happiness; purpose is the determinant". So if Sauron is serving something that he conceives of as "the greater good", but detects as <em>evil</em>, then whatever he is serving it is not rights or happiness. What is it, then? And while presumably he agrees it is not <em>rights</em>, does he also agree that it is not <em>happiness</em>? And if he does, what greater good does he think there is in which neither rights nor happiness figure?</p><p></p><p>The second point is not about D&D scholasticism but about the LotR. What is Sauron actually doing that could remotely be conceived as contributing to any sort of greater good, however conceived? He is not building any cities. He is not promoting any economic development. He is not even attempting to increase agricultural production. He seems to have no social or economic policies at all. That is why I say that I've always been somewhat puzzled by his motivations. He clearly want to exercise control over people, but doesn't seem to have anything in mind as the purpose for that exercise of control.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="pemerton, post: 7671194, member: 42582"] Two thoughts in response. The first is a more-or-less scholastic point of AD&D alignment interpretation: in his DMG Gygax says of evil that it "does not concern itself with rights or happiness; purpose is the determinant". So if Sauron is serving something that he conceives of as "the greater good", but detects as [I]evil[/I], then whatever he is serving it is not rights or happiness. What is it, then? And while presumably he agrees it is not [I]rights[/I], does he also agree that it is not [I]happiness[/I]? And if he does, what greater good does he think there is in which neither rights nor happiness figure? The second point is not about D&D scholasticism but about the LotR. What is Sauron actually doing that could remotely be conceived as contributing to any sort of greater good, however conceived? He is not building any cities. He is not promoting any economic development. He is not even attempting to increase agricultural production. He seems to have no social or economic policies at all. That is why I say that I've always been somewhat puzzled by his motivations. He clearly want to exercise control over people, but doesn't seem to have anything in mind as the purpose for that exercise of control. [/QUOTE]
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