Lord of the Rings

A topic that came up in Philosophy class today. The lord of the rings example that plato used in one of his stories, if a man had an invisible ring would he do evil?

Well as soon as this topic arised many hands flew up, many said, “I would not steal, just like being in someone’s house alone, I don’t steal, I’d be like superman”. <---- And get what credit?

I spoke up and said, if this ring could make you invisible infinitely, you might do evil, and if you could take it on and off you probably wouldn’t based on conflicting personalities… Maybe not the best topic to bring up but I think this can get really deep. I can see many openings in this topic and thought it’d be nice to play around with.

Lets just say first of all, no matter what your beliefs are, that no God exist in this analogy please. Would you do evil if you were infinitely invisible? What are the flaws with this? Would you not based on only a feeling of satisfaction that could be differently based since you yourself are different? I’d like to hear thoughts here, no recommendations on asking a philosophy teacher please, this is a philosophy site right?

If it is just a simple invisibility chances are no I would not do evil, Mischief maybe, uh scratch that, yes I would do mischief. If one has such a power then the use of it requires some use. Evil no. Nor would I be so stupid as to spy on those around me. That could just cause severe problems for myself.

To do evil and cause harm you must have some leaning that way in the first place.

Would I use it to gain power by sneaking around and learning others secrets. No way, I like my life. You start playing those games you are playing with a possible inferno of problems. Not the least of which blackmailing people tends to end up with the blackmailer dead. No thanks.

Stealing is harmful mostly to the ones that can least afford the cost of stealing. Prices go up and it is passed down to the poor who can ill afford the price increase.

Nope no evil ,just mischief. I can see an entire playground of fun safe mischief.

i would do what people would class as evil, but i wouldnt do anything wrong…

Hmm…not sure. I’d kinda agree with Kriswest here. I mean within yourself you’d feel horrible for doing wrong, or well most of us would. And even if you could try and get what you wanted you’d be apart from everything. If you could tattle on secrets of others, that would cause more trouble than anyone can imagine. It’s almost like total truth of who we are would actually hurt our society…but then…that would disprove the argument that I wouldn’t do evil. I would like this analogy to be infinite partial, not infinitely, because infinitely you couldn’t exist, you couldn’t interact, it’s almost useless to discuss that.

I would find eveyone in the world called Sauron and ask them if they wanted their ring back.

If I needed money for something I’d steel it, but I don’t need much, and I’d perfer work. It all depends upon need. I wouldn’t do what we didn’t need done.

I might take down a US president or two.

No rapes or revenge against the enemies which I avoid making in the first place.

Hopefully I would not have to be naked & un-equipped whilst using the ring, otherwise I would use it allot less often.

First, one would have to define evil.

If I had a ring of infinite invisibility, I would assassinate every top government leader … all of them, in every country.

I would empty the prisons, they would all be executed with malice and prejudice of forethought.

There wouldn’t be an attorney/legal counselor left on the planet.

Anyone convicted of pedophilia, would die in public, a most painful and horrific death.

Wife beaters would be publicly tortured, or maimed, depending on their ability to “reform”.

The Doodlebops would also be eliminated, along with the creators/producers of the Teletubby’s and Barney the Dinosaur.

I see none of these things as evil, rather, they appear as “social services” to the greater populace of humanity.

I’ve already thought this out, so it’s easy for me. I’d go to slumber parties to push the little shuttle on Ouija-boards around, then when ‘the spirits’ were about to reveal something really cool, I’d shout “This Is Jesus. Cut that Shit out! Go to Church!”

Is that evil?

EDIT: For some reason, I see myself saying it in a ghostly “OoooOOOOoooo” voice, too.

This is scary ; Ucci must have read my mind, for that part of my mischief was at the first thoughts.

Oldphil… if you don’t mind me asking, Do you ever have anything useful to say?

Clean that clock. Anarchism. More fear = more violance = less peace.

Step up natural-selection another notch, and base it all upon social functionality? It’d take a long time to kill so many, and you’d loose your mind at the blood of the 3rd person, or so.

And that would lead to what…?

Are you sure you want to expose people to that kind of image?

Best assassination yet.

“social service”? Or, social surgical strikes?

And at church, you could say:
“Cut that shit out and be more sincere!”, right after the prayer, and move an object in the room somewhere.

Har har.

There is no proof anywhere that governments create more security and more peace, illogical personal bias.

In your first statement you denounce me for instating fear and violence. I give you an answer to one major cause of fear and violence, and still you denounce. Ignored due to contradiction based upon personal bias.

I’ve already witnessed more than three human deaths first hand, and my lucidity is greater after, than before. Summarily refuted.

Professional cleansing, and reduction of stress for the populace.

If one truly wants to deter crime, one must be willing to be as harsh and violent as the criminal who exhibits the behavior. Summarily, I affirm this course of action.

Humans do not learn without pain and suffering, as I have quoted before,

Qui desiderat pacem, praeparet bellum

There is no way around it.

Anarchism leads to despotism.

Without any law, violent gangs soon form, the economy suffers, life turns barberic.

Gentlemen, we have a deathist.
I’ll not bother replying anymore to this…

He thinks that if he killed people out of a certian position which he saw as unfit, someone more capable then the first – would just magickally appear, when infact, the direct result of such anarchism is an increase of national-security, leading to a police-state.

As another said:
“Anarchism, haven’t you heard? It’s the hip new fascism.”