[Salvio's pen scratching comes to a stop. His eyes unfocus on the page as he turns the words over in his mind--then glances over at the Skull. Not that he will get much help from looking at it, but.]
A subscriber of... Er, I am--not familiar with 'deontology'. Consequentialism would be--the ethics of consequences?
NO, NO. VIRTUE ETHICS! DEONTOLOGISM SUGGESTS THAT THE MORALITY OF AN ACTION DEPENDS ON THE ACTION ITSELF. A GOOD DEED IS INHERENTLY GOOD. BUT CONSEQUENTIALISTS ARGUE THAT THE END JUSTIFIES THE MEANS! IF THE OUTCOME IS GOOD, THEN THE ACTION IS GOOD.
[ All of this would be a lot easier to withstand if it weren't for Skull's voice. An assault of philosophy, egad. ]
[He trails off as he starts to take notes in the margins, wading through the miasma of these concepts. After a moment of debate--]
A good deed is inherently good, I think. Um. Personally. But for a large organization, such as, er, Riftwatch, or the Inquisition--it becomes more difficult to untangle. So to speak.
[ Skull bobs idly in the verdant liquid, too slowly to even cause bubbles. ]
YOU KNOW, SOME PHILOSOPHERS ARGUE THAT THE INTENT BEHIND AN ACTION IS WHAT DICTATES THE MORALITY OF IT ALL. FOR EXAMPLE, IF ONE TRIES TO BETTER THEMSELVES FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN THE RECOGNITION, THEN THEIR NOBLE DEEDS ARE TAINTED BY SELFISHNESS.
OUTWARDLY, PERHAPS. BUT HOW DOES IT REFLECT ON THE QUALITY OF THE DOER'S CHARACTER?
[ A gentle tipping from side to side. ]
IF SOMEONE TRIES TO BE A GOOD PERSON FOR PERSONAL GAIN, DOES THE GOODNESS EVENTUALLY TAKE HOLD AND SUPERCEDE THE SELFISH MOTIVATION? OR ARE THEY NO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THEY STARTED BECAUSE OF THEIR MOTIVATION BEING SELF-SERVING?
If the initial selfish motivation eventually is superseded by genuine goodness, that would transform the character. If it were a true and genuine goodness and a, um, true transformation. Would be my thought.
[The statement had started with confidence and grown weaker by the end. Salvio frowns.]
And-- well. Impossible to measure. Unless by the, um, Maker. Is there a right answer?
![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
action?? inasmuch as it ever is with skull
DO YOU FANCY YOURSELF A SUBSCRIBER OF CONSEQUENTIALIST ETHICS, SALLY? OR ARE YOU A DEONTOLOGICAL MORALIST?
good.
[Salvio's pen scratching comes to a stop. His eyes unfocus on the page as he turns the words over in his mind--then glances over at the Skull. Not that he will get much help from looking at it, but.]
A subscriber of... Er, I am--not familiar with 'deontology'. Consequentialism would be--the ethics of consequences?
no subject
[ All of this would be a lot easier to withstand if it weren't for Skull's voice. An assault of philosophy, egad. ]
no subject
[He trails off as he starts to take notes in the margins, wading through the miasma of these concepts. After a moment of debate--]
A good deed is inherently good, I think. Um. Personally. But for a large organization, such as, er, Riftwatch, or the Inquisition--it becomes more difficult to untangle. So to speak.
Why do you ask?
no subject
[ Skull bobs idly in the verdant liquid, too slowly to even cause bubbles. ]
YOU KNOW, SOME PHILOSOPHERS ARGUE THAT THE INTENT BEHIND AN ACTION IS WHAT DICTATES THE MORALITY OF IT ALL. FOR EXAMPLE, IF ONE TRIES TO BETTER THEMSELVES FOR NO REASON OTHER THAN THE RECOGNITION, THEN THEIR NOBLE DEEDS ARE TAINTED BY SELFISHNESS.
no subject
[Salvio sits back in chair a little as he turns this over.]
I would... agree with that, I think. Though a noble deed, even if done for a selfish reason... it would still carry a benefit, yes?
no subject
[ A gentle tipping from side to side. ]
IF SOMEONE TRIES TO BE A GOOD PERSON FOR PERSONAL GAIN, DOES THE GOODNESS EVENTUALLY TAKE HOLD AND SUPERCEDE THE SELFISH MOTIVATION? OR ARE THEY NO DIFFERENT THAN WHEN THEY STARTED BECAUSE OF THEIR MOTIVATION BEING SELF-SERVING?
no subject
[The statement had started with confidence and grown weaker by the end. Salvio frowns.]
And-- well. Impossible to measure. Unless by the, um, Maker. Is there a right answer?
no subject
no subject
[Somewhat flustered, Salvio looks down at the page that he was writing. He picks up his pen, then sets it down again.]
Well, yes. I know that, of course, that is-- that is quite true. I only meant that, um. Perhaps you might have had some, some further insight.
no subject
[ Brightly. Almost friendly, even. ]
JUST SEEING WHAT YOU THOUGHT ON THE MATTER. NOT REALLY SURE WHY, IT JUST POPPED INTO MY HEAD.
SO YOU THINK A MAN WHO STEALS FROM ANOTHER MAN TO FEED A FAMILY IS STILL A BAD PERSON, BECAUSE THE ACT OF THEFT IS WRONG?