The Dresden Files > DF Reference Collection
Harry's murders of Non-humans! (Cold Days spoilers)
KurtinStGeorge:
--- Quote from: raidem on November 05, 2013, 08:01:31 PM ---There is no 'correct.' You are allowed your opinion, I am allowed mine.
--- End quote ---
Not if the moral relativism used to examine your competing opinions is only Descriptive Moral Relativism; meaning, you and your debating opponent hold different positions of what is right (ethical) and what is wrong (unethical) behavior, but while you are allowed to form your own opinion in this matter, one of you could still be right and the other in error, in a universal sense of morality.
The problem I have with the Meta - something (I don't feel like looking for an old philosophy textbook to find the exact term right now.) Moral Relativism, is that it eliminates the need to ever question or reexamine one's beliefs, leading to a limited possibility of growth or greater understanding for either the individual or the society clinging to its own set of rules and beliefs for the sole reason that they are their beliefs, not because they are better, or more effective, or true in a universal sense.
Now that I got that off my chest, I wonder if the Winter Knights mantle loosened up Harry's inhibitions to kill something that was not presenting an immediate threat to his life, made it a little easier to shoot first and ask questions later.
Even if that is not the case, I don't think Harry actions were as cold blooded or evil as the OP suggested. Harry had just survived what should have been a fight to the death, and a young women whom he liked; even if he didn't know much about her, had just had her life threatened by one of the Sidhe who had a buddy who was more than willing to do the job. Also, we have never seen any of the Winter Court show more than cursory respect for mortal life, and Harry was standing at the seat of their power, so why shouldn't he have reacted with extreme prejudice to a provocation, even a verbal one? Anything less would likely have likely led to worse situation for him.
Seraphiel:
I really don't see the problem it was not human, it was something that preys on humans and that publicly challenged Harry's new status as Mab's knight. In Arctis Tor and all of Winter for that matter letting it live would have been a colossal show of weakness. Harry is not Michael he does not ooze compassion and love. Don't expect him to bow down to non human bullies, which is basically what that Sidhe lord was. Was it murder? Sure. Was it justified in universe and the "best choice" ? Hell yeah.
So while we may or may not agree I'm pretty sure even the Harry we will see at the end of the series would have done the same, no matter what kind of epiphany he has along the way.
Karthak:
--- Quote from: vultur on November 06, 2013, 03:24:13 AM ---Given that we have an authorial voice statement (outside any possible unreliable narrative / bias that Harry may introduce) that some/all intelligent NN beings "aren't actual people" - no, I don't think we can really classify killing such a being, within the context of the Dresdenverse, as murder (even morally rather than legally).
That (the fact that there can be intelligent beings which are soulless and from a moral perspective "not people") is reality (EDIT: within the fictional context of) the Dresdenverse, even if it doesn't hold true in the real world.
--- End quote ---
Oh, didn't know that...
Honestly, I find that slightly repulsive. As far as I'm concerned every sapient being is a person, with all the rights of personhood. And if the metaphysical laws of the Dresdenverse say otherwise, I'd kick them in the nads until they changed their minds (I think Jim mentioned somewhere that theoretically, magic has no upper power limit).
Seidmadr:
I, honestly think Harry did the right thing. The sidhe are not free-willed, per se. They will follow their nature. And as high sidhe of Winter they will prey upon mortals. Harry had to give a huge enough incentive not to do it, that their self-preservation changed what their nature saw as things to be preyed upon, at least in the presence of Harry.
He also had to kill to prove that he meant what he said, otherwise he wouldn't be taken seriously, especially not after having been outmaneuvered socially to the degree that he got just a few minutes prior.
Mira:
--- Quote from: Seidmadr on November 06, 2013, 11:23:26 AM ---I, honestly think Harry did the right thing. The sidhe are not free-willed, per se. They will follow their nature. And as high sidhe of Winter they will prey upon mortals. Harry had to give a huge enough incentive not to do it, that their self-preservation changed what their nature saw as things to be preyed upon, at least in the presence of Harry.
He also had to kill to prove that he meant what he said, otherwise he wouldn't be taken seriously, especially not after having been outmaneuvered socially to the degree that he got just a few minutes prior.
--- End quote ---
I agree with this, clearly he was being tested.
Navigation
[0] Message Index
[#] Next page
[*] Previous page
Go to full version