Ethics, Tuesday

[saddeserthermit]

"Today, we would like to confront you with a somewhat more mythical ethical scenario," Obi-Wan said. He had his hands tucked into the sleeves of his robes, but looked to be somewhat in good spirits. "Which circumstances have delayed a few too many times

Comments

What Did The Princess Choose?

[saddeserthermit]

The tiger or the lady?

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[not_a_moonie]

"I have no idea," Alana admitted. "Maybe the tiger. Maybe she was really angry at him for getting them caught. If her dad's killing her boyfriend, I bet the princess doesn't have a happy home life right then either."

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[saddeserthermit]

"So you believe she would take it out on the commoner?" Obi-Wan asked. "How would you feel about that?"

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[spin_kick_snap]

"I think the tiger," Kathy admitted. "At least, based on what the story tells us about the princess. She's fierce, she's spoiled, she hates the chosen maiden and is jealous of her. That's a very potent emotional combination right there. We don't hear about how she fought with her father or begged him for mercy or whatever. It might have been different if she'd made the decision right then, when she was looking at him, rather than over several nights of bad dreams."

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[saddeserthermit]

Obi-Wan tilted his head thoughtfully. "Why do you think so?" he asked lightly. "That her decision might have been different."

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[spin_kick_snap]

"Well, there she is, face-to-face with him," Kathy said. "I think that it might be harder for her to consign him to an immediate and grisly death if she was looking right at him while she made that decision." She shrugged. "I mean, if she'd the type to look him in the eyes and think, 'No, I can't let him belong to someone else,' then I figure she's probably the type of person to come to that conclusion anyway. But most people, looking at a former lover, wouldn't have the presence of mind to deceive them into choosing death."

Maybe that was naive, but come on! How cruel would you have to be to make that decision!

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[saddeserthermit]

"Supposing the former lover does not know them well enough to assume deceit," Obi-Wan said, looking faintly amused at the notion.

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[spin_kick_snap]

"Why should he?" Kathy asked. "Has he ever seen her spited or jealous of something? I don't know how much of a relationship they had with all the sneaking around, but if he's seen how she behaves when she doesn't get her way before, then he might have a better idea of how she'll behave now. But the story sounds like he really trusts her. Maybe he's besotted. It's really easy to only believe the best of someone if you think you're in love with them."

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[saddeserthermit]

You really didn't need to tell Obi-Wan that much.

But he didn't linger on that thought. "Sometimes people surprise you," he said, "and relationships can last long enough to transcend besotted, with time. But yes; I believe it is also likely she sent him to his death."

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[spin_kick_snap]

"And, uhh, in case it needed saying, I would have sent him to the lady," Kathy added, since that was also part of the assignment. "And I think if the princess had bothered thinking long-term about this, she probably would have done the same. Not just because it's the right thing to do, but because it's the smart thing to do."

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[saddeserthermit]

"And why do you believe it is the smart thing to do?" Obi-Wan asked.

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[spin_kick_snap]

"Because they can still be together if he's alive," Kathy said. "He's about to be married to a strange woman he doesn't know, so it's not like he has any loyalty to her. They might have to wait a few months, let him show the world a happy bridegroom, but with some time, they might be able to rekindle their affair. It's not foolproof and it's definitely not very nice, but then, neither is feeding him to a tiger. At least this way, everybody lives."

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[bjornstjarna]

"She probably chose the tiger," Soren said, after giving it some thought. "At least, if she came from a world that was anything like mine. Most of the people who would find themselves involved in any capacity in a trial by combat situation are dedicated to gods that aren't terribly forgiving. As for myself- if it were someone I loved, I think I would make the choice that would harm them the least, even if it would hurt us both in other ways." His answer a few years ago might have been different, but Astrid's sacrifice as well as Baldur's presence in his life (two things which were, not coincidentally, rather connected) had profoundly changed how he thought about such things.

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[saddeserthermit]

"Even if the result were that you be miserable, while the other would not?" Obi-Wan asked.

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[sarcastic_vamp]

Carmilla snorted. "The tiger," she said. "If she's going to be miserable, he's not going to be happy."

Re: What Did The Princess Choose?

[saddeserthermit]

Obi-Wan raised an eyebrow. "And you could not consider a scenario where she might relent?"