01. voice. angels dancing on the head of a pin

[ikanteven]

[ Chidi has been contemplating it ever since his arrival—what does the fact that people have powers here mean for the state of ethics in this world? Are people being responsible with what they’ve been given? Is everyone here like him, a person who could never have dreamed of having these types of powers in the worlds he came from?

In the end, he makes a decision that he needs to get more input before deciding. The communicator he’s been given is familiar technology, and he has no problem navigating its interface. He turns on the voice function and begins to broadcast. ]

I have a question for everyone here. Actually, a few questions. I’d like to get everyone’s input, if I can—don’t feel like you’re bothering me with your answer. I want to know everyone’s experience with this and everyone’s opinion.

First, a little background on me. My field of expertise is in the field of ethics and moral philosophy. I have written a lot about this subject, and I’d like to start a new study based on how these fields may be different in this world than in the one I was trained in.

So, here are my questions:

One: Do you personally come from a world where people have the kinds of powers that they have here? Furthermore, did you have powers yourself?

Two: If so, what were the moral and ethical implications of people deciding to use these powers, or choosing not to use them? And if not, do you feel a moral and ethical obligation to use your powers to help people?

And three: Do you consider yourself a good person?

Comments

[text]

[robberofgraves]

Oh, no offence taken honestly.

I'm as good as I can be, and as bad as needed. Seems pretty okay to me? Ethically, I'm a champ.

[text]

[ikanteven]

That being the case I feel that perhaps you're thinking of certain behaviors as being 'bad' when ethically, they are actions you are being called upon to take.

text]

[robberofgraves]

Now this sounds interesting. Go on professor. Tell me more.

[text]

[ikanteven]

Oftentimes we think of things as a function of what decision would do the most good and presume that if we do anything else that we have failed to do the right thing. Sometimes we can only do so much in contrast to what the ideal might be.

[text]

[robberofgraves]

To me it sounds like 'good' and 'bad' are a human construct and in the end there is no good nor bad. It's just how we or others see our actions.

[text]

[ikanteven]

That's definitely one of the sticking points in trying to be a good person. But each action has a measure of how much good it does toward one's fellow. But there's also complications—your actions in helping one person might hurt another.