L
Longtimer
Guest
Just catching up on discussions. In session 10 there is a discussion of Prof's motives and a comparison is made to Tolkien and the Council of Elrond in looking at Prof's ends justify the means philosophy. In this discussion Prof is compared unfavorably to "The Wise." While I understand and accept the concern, I think it spring from different theological world views. In Tolkien there is a firm belief, perhaps certainty, that in the end evil cannot win. This belief means that the good need to trust in not doing that which unacceptable to achieve necessary ends since taking the righteous/moral path will be rewarded. In Heinlein's world there is no certainty that evil will always in the end lose or to use Tolkien's world view that anything done by evil will eventually bring forth greater good. This means that faced with great evil starvation and death of an entire population one must due what is necessary to prevent that evil. Of course one should try to do as little evil as possible to accomplish the necessary end but trusting that if you behave morally providence will guide things to a proper conclusion, as the Tolkien world assumes, is not rational.
Note I realize I am simplifying Tolkien's world view and Heinlein's but I am not writing a mythmoot paper.
Note I realize I am simplifying Tolkien's world view and Heinlein's but I am not writing a mythmoot paper.