Must the Good of the Many Come First?
The Never Ending Quest - Episode 58962
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"Yes, that could be a serious problem," the davar acknowledged. "Wars have
been fought before now with less provocation. We must hope that her claim
to be a high-ranking lady turns out to be an exaggeration. One may think
it sad, but her government is unlikely to be too concerned about her
treatment if she turns out to be a 'nobody'."
"If the King finishes up handling this matter himself, then he may decide that the only way to prevent her story from coming out would be to find her guilty. Though I'm sure that he would be reluctant to do so if he felt that she was innocent, he could hardly let her return to Aqualaria telling a tale of having been held prisoner by Governor Gilder." He paused briefly, then went on: "I have just had an idea, though it is not one that I like very much. Various rumours concerning the goods that the traders of the Tenge deal in have come to me. It is said that amongst their potions is one that will cause permanent amnesia. If she was induced to drink such a potion, then she could safely be sent back to Aqualaria, with a message that she had been found in Hespan without her memory, but that her nationality had been guessed from her accent and appearance. To do that to the girl might seem hard on her, but not so hard as execution or long-term imprisonment would be." "I don't like the idea of that at all. I don't think that the King would do it." "You've never had a country or a duchy to run, my friend. I can tell you from bitter experience that it changes one's priorities. The good of the people as a whole has to come before that of a single individual."
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JH (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ Utilitarianism )
5/31/2006 1:31:01 PM
Extending Enabled
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