The Dresden Files > DFRPG
"Official" Perspective on Lawbreaking
ReaderAt2046:
Something that is driving me insane, because it's about the only part of this system that doesn't seem to make sense: Why is it considered wrong to kill with magic even when it would be not only acceptable but mandatory to kill any other way? To give a specific example, suppose we have Warden Jason Knight fighting some sort of warlock and in the course of the battle Jason blows the warlock's head off his shoulders with a fireball spell. As the system stands now, that would earn him a Lawbreaker stunt, but doing the exact same thing for the exact same reason, except with his sword instead of magic, has no effect on him.
At its core, my problem stems from how Lawbreaking corrupts. Everything I've read indicates that Lawbreaking corrupts because of how magic comes from belief, so breaking the First Law means that you believe killing is right. My question, though, is what if you kill for a good reason, like to protect others or to enforce Justice? Wouldn't that only reinforce your belief that you should kill for, and only for, the right reasons?
The fact that the White Council has a self-defense exemption seems to support this position, and yet more importantly, we see Harry kill dozens of humans with magic in Grave Peril without meaning to, but there doesn't seem to be any negative effects on his soul, which would imply that it's the intent to kill that corrupts. But clearly not all killing is wrong, ergo, intent to kill is not always wrong.
In short, it seems that doing something good for good reasons can still make you evil. Please explain?
Tedronai:
First off, the easiest distinction: the enforcement of the Laws by the White Council and its Wardens is not actually bound to the cosmic truth of the corruption caused by violating the Laws. The Council is a political agency, and makes decisions for political reasons.
As for the 'killing for good reasons'...before you can reinforce the idea that it is okay to kill 'only for the right reasons' you must first reinforce the idea that there are 'right reasons' to kill, and that the individual is capable of distinguishing them. And that is exactly the sort of corruption that Lawbreaker represents: that one individual has the right to decide whether or not another deserves to die.
Troy:
Maybe I'm an optimist at heart, but: You're a wizard. Surely you can think of some way to solve your problem without resorting to killing?
ReaderAt2046:
--- Quote from: Tedronai on May 14, 2013, 02:15:13 AM ---As for the 'killing for good reasons'...before you can reinforce the idea that it is okay to kill 'only for the right reasons' you must first reinforce the idea that there are 'right reasons' to kill, and that the individual is capable of distinguishing them.
--- End quote ---
Which quite clearly the Council believes to be true. The Council has Wardens to chop off people's heads. Therefore, it believes that there are proper circumstances to kill and that it is possible to discern what they are.
polkaneverdies:
Jim has referred to magic as "the power of creation". Killing with it apparently violates that essential nature of magic.
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