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Comments thread for "The Laws of Magic: Part 5 of 8"

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hollow49:
Besides, anything sufficiently similar to a human mind to be good practise would also be subject to the same ethical issues - remember, even a nonhuman might be considered close enough to warrant a violation. (If I were GMing it, I'd say that it would count as experience if and only if it also counted as a violation for accumulating "ticks" and stunts.) Remember if SF, Harry tells the Shadowman that the Fourth Law prohibits bindind another against their will - referring to Kalsharrak the demon? If even that kind of monster is deemed to be protected, then the Fourth Law gets applied with a very broad brush indeed...

Of course, there's nothing to stop some beings being bound by their own will in various ways - a contract with various powers like the Denarians, a bargain with the Leanansidhe, the mantle of a Faerie Knight, an oath sworn on ones own power - we've seen many examples in the book. All of these do apply some degree of compulsion/obligation on the bound party, but he or she chose to accept them at the time, so free will is not compromised. I'm not sure whether the Swords of the Cross belong on the list or not - my impression of those is that no futher obligation is required after the choice to take up the sword - one merely has to keep making that same choice every day, and only those capable of doing so are given the option in the first place.

Slife:

--- Quote from: Beamer on July 21, 2007, 03:30:25 AM ---I doubt that the mind of a non-human works the same way.
To extend this metaphor do you want a Vet preforming brain surgery

--- End quote ---
It's not like an animal neurosurgeon can't perform neurosurgery upon a human (or vice versa). 


Besides, how do you think brain surgeons practice?  They don't just start on real patients.


--- Quote from: hollow49 on July 21, 2007, 11:31:38 PM ---Of course, there's nothing to stop some beings being bound by their own will in various ways - a contract with various powers like the Denarians, a bargain with the Leanansidhe, the mantle of a Faerie Knight, an oath sworn on ones own power - we've seen many examples in the book. All of these do apply some degree of compulsion/obligation on the bound party, but he or she chose to accept them at the time, so free will is not compromised.

--- End quote ---
So, as long as someone gives permission you're pretty much free to mess around with their mind,

NevynK:

--- Quote from: Beamer on July 21, 2007, 03:30:25 AM ---I doubt that the mind of a non-human works the same way.
To extend this metaphor do you want a Vet preforming brain surgery

--- End quote ---

Hmmm well physiologically white court vamps are more less equal to humans so I'm sure their mental functions and thought processes aren't all that different. Creatures such as primates or spirits with similar thought processes could easily be used to practice on as they aren't human but their minds work more or less the same way. Not saying its something that should be done or that it would guarantee success while working with humans but it would mean at least a slightly better chance of success. 

Rel Fexive:
To be fair, the brain surgery analogy only goes so far.  It's not a matter of gross brain structure but how the mind works... and the minds of non-humans, or even of White Court vamps, are different enough from those of regular humans that practising on them wouldn't get you anything more than angry Wardens on your ass.

Jaroslav:
 While yes it might be hard to find a willing subject to practise on. But if you could find the notes of somone who already had used mind magic a lot of the work would be done for you.

Also a ghost could be a possible subject. They seem to have minds even if they are abit broken. Of course if a ghost has a mind they would probably be a little to human for most wizards to use. 

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