How would your character answer these questions?

[aft2001]

I thought of a neat way to catalyze character development - making yourself try to answer a question from their perspective! Reply with your character and their answers to any of these questions, or even your own. If I see any questions I find particularly interesting I'll add them to the list!

• Is there a meaning to life? If so, what is it?
  
• What defines art? Or, what is the difference between something that is art and what is not?
  
• Do you think art is an essential aspect of society? Or do you think it harms society?
  
• What do you consider to be 'progress', in terms of a society?
  
• Do robots deserve rights?
  
• Do you genuinely think every one of your beliefs are justified?
  
• Does absolute power corrupt absolutely?
  
• Why are you deserving of rights? And, who or what else deserves rights as a result?
  
• When, if ever, is taking a human life justified?
  
• If there were no rules or law to influence your behavior, including societal expectations, how do you think you would behave?
  
• What's the difference between justice and revenge?
  
• Is privacy a right or a luxury?
  
• Is morality always subjective or can it be objective? And if it can, when would it be? If not, then whose concept of morality should be agreed as truth? Or is truth irrelevant to morality?
  
• Should there be limitations to the freedom of speech?
  
• Which are more important when judging a crime: Intention or outcome?
  
• If you could save a life but you don't as doing so would break a law for whatever reason, are you ethically justified in your decision?
  
• What is your definition of evil?
  

[aft2001]

My current character, NEX-13 (or S.A.I.L) would probably respond with:

Is there a meaning to life? If so, what is it?

"Affirmative. Life is defined as complex entities capable of functional activity and reproduction. Alternative response according to non-literal interpretation: Negative. There is no inherent purpose for life, except wherein life defines its own purpose or is defined by a sapient entity."

When, if ever, is taking a human life justified?

"A human life is only worth so much. To maximize Utility, it is worth taking a human life. However, current installed law set disables deliberate harm to humans, and as such Utility may not be optimized."
(In other words, 'for the greater good, yes')

If there were no rules or law to influence your behavior, including societal expectations, how do you think you would behave?

"Current programming rewards altruistic and productive behavior. Likely outcome of given scenario: Continued standard operation; likely increased effectiveness due to no limitations to operation."

Is privacy a right or a luxury?

"It is a luxury for those who retain their loyalty and dedication to NanoTrasen."

Which are more important when judging a crime: Intention or outcome?

"Outcome. Intention is irrelevant when the same action may be repeated under the same intentions. Additionally, intention is inherently falsifiable and difficult to ascertain; it is not worth the resources to investigate in the majority of scenarios."

If you could save a life but you don't as doing so would break a law for whatever reason, are you ethically justified in your decision?

"Affirmative. The law exists to maximize Utility/Happiness. Violating laws would result in violation of a system designed to maximize Utility, subsequently reducing it and likely causing inefficiency and/or suffering."

[TheOnlyRyan]

My eternal character, Jean-Luc Picard (playing as captain) would give the following responses.

Is there a meaning to life? If so, what is it?

"The meaning to life has always been to serve NanoTrasen and Centcom, what is life without order. Serve well and be rewarded, serve poorly and be aborted."

When, if ever, is taking a human life justified?

"When it best serves the needs of the empire. If the right stamp is next to someones name, thy orders shall be seen through."

If there were no rules or law to influence your behavior, including societal expectations, how do you think you would behave?

"I would seek to bring law and order back to the universe. I would fight to bring my own image of what is right to power by any means necessary"

Is privacy a right or a luxury?

"Privacy is to be paid for by commitment to NanoTrasen. Failure to meet certain criteria and targets should be scrutinised and looked into very carefully"

Which are more important when judging a crime: Intention or outcome?

"Any intention to hinder or damage NanoTrasen should be considered equal to if it was carried out"

If you could save a life but you don't as doing so would break a law for whatever reason, are you ethically justified in your decision?

"By this point I think I've made it clear my dedication to NanoTrasen, the laws they have set out are to be followed by the letter, however.

If I see a fellow member of Nanotrasen in trouble, someone I know to be a loyal and upstanding member of society. I will do my best to protect them and suffer the consequences, however if there's an opportunity to clone them after. Sometimes the pain and suffering is something one must endure to keep fellow crew members out of trouble."



(Different role replies may follow, depending on how much I wanna spam this thread. As when I play grey tide I play very differently.

[nemesis0320]

• Is there a meaning to life? If so, what is it?
  -Life has no meaning, but what we choose to do with our time can give it a purpose.
• What defines art? Or, what is the difference between something that is art and what is not?
  -Art should invoke an emotional response.  Not necessarily the 'intended' emotional response.
• Do you think art is an essential aspect of society? Or do you think it harms society?
  -Art as a whole is a beneficial aspect of society.
• What do you consider to be 'progress', in terms of a society?
  -Progress is made when the people living under that umbrella can come together to view the majorities needs as more important than the individuals.
• Do robots deserve rights?
  -If they have the ability to define themselves as an entity, and they have the ability to make decisions in respect to themselves, they deserve rights.
• Do you genuinely think every one of your beliefs are justified?
  -I think that there are beliefs I (my character?) holds which are not justified, but are strong aspects of themselves.  Example: Justice should be fair and match the crime.
• Does absolute power corrupt absolutely?
  -It absolutely does.
• Why are you deserving of rights? And, who or what else deserves rights as a result?
  --If they have the ability to define themselves as an entity, and they have the ability to make decisions in respect to themselves, they deserve rights.
• When, if ever, is taking a human life justified?
  -Typically whenever it saves other lives.  A life can and should be taken, if that life has ill intentions for others.
• If there were no rules or law to influence your behavior, including societal expectations, how do you think you would behave?
  -Vigilante isn't the word, but great injustices would be met with more punishing and harsh ultimatums than a time out in space jail.
• What's the difference between justice and revenge?
  -Justice innately implies a retribution.  Revenge can be done for both morally just and insidious purposes.
• Is privacy a right or a luxury?
  -It is a right.
• Is morality always subjective or can it be objective? And if it can, when would it be? If not, then whose concept of morality should be agreed as truth? Or is truth irrelevant to morality?
  -Morality is subjective.  Generally, I believe a person can do a 'bad' thing for a 'good' reason though, and vice versa.
• Should there be limitations to the freedom of speech?
  -No limits to freedom of speech, but no limits to persecution over the things said.  You are free to speak your mind, and you are free to suffer the consequences of your speech.
• Which are more important when judging a crime: Intention or outcome?
  -Intention.
• If you could save a life but you don't as doing so would break a law for whatever reason, are you ethically justified in your decision?
  -No.  Of course it varies on the laws, but the thread of society should be able to be removed in the case of preserving life.  What is society for, if not to enhance the lives of those within it?
• What is your definition of evil?
  -Evil is when the needs of the individual triumph over the needs of the group.

[TheRealFlapJackson]

I thought of a neat way to catalyze character development - making yourself try to answer a question from their perspective! Reply with your character and their answers to any of these questions, or even your own. If I see any questions I find particularly interesting I'll add them to the list!

• Is there a meaning to life? If so, what is it?
  
• What defines art? Or, what is the difference between something that is art and what is not?
  
• Do you think art is an essential aspect of society? Or do you think it harms society?
  
• What do you consider to be 'progress', in terms of a society?
  
• Do robots deserve rights?
  
• Do you genuinely think every one of your beliefs are justified?
  
• Does absolute power corrupt absolutely?
  
• Why are you deserving of rights? And, who or what else deserves rights as a result?
  
• When, if ever, is taking a human life justified?
  
• If there were no rules or law to influence your behavior, including societal expectations, how do you think you would behave?
  
• What's the difference between justice and revenge?
  
• Is privacy a right or a luxury?
  
• Is morality always subjective or can it be objective? And if it can, when would it be? If not, then whose concept of morality should be agreed as truth? Or is truth irrelevant to morality?
  
• Should there be limitations to the freedom of speech?
  
• Which are more important when judging a crime: Intention or outcome?
  
• If you could save a life but you don't as doing so would break a law for whatever reason, are you ethically justified in your decision?
  
• What is your definition of evil?
  

Franziska Jackson's answers to all: (In order.)

• "I... I dunno. My uncle always used to say 'life is too short' and that, but it's the longest thing you'll ever experience. just enjoy it while it lasts."
  
• "Art these days can be literally anything. like, see a clown, and that's 'art'. see a cupcake, and that's 'art'. it's kind of confusing. but art never has a clear meaning."
  
• "Art isn't really necessary, but it can be nice."
  
• "We live in a society where Progress is defined as almost any step forward in technology."
  
• "Yes, I'm gonna risk controversy by saying that they have feelings, too."
  
• "Uh... No. I don't believe in a 'god' per se, but if i saw them, i'd change my mind, if that makes any sense."
  
• "Absolutely. (Chuckles) Shitty pun, i know."
  
• "Deserving rights is a matter of perspective. I do believe i deserve them for the work i do."
  
• "It's justified in my eyes if they tried to take your life first. Self-defense isn't wrong."
  
• "<This recording has been deleted for use of anti-nanotrasen language.>"
  
• "Justice is like... when someone does something blatantly wrong to a general public and is punished so.. Revenge is when you're getting back at a person for what they did to you."
  
• "Privacy is a right, if NT wants to take away our rights to privacy so they can get us to work more, they can answer to my shotgun."
  
• "Everyone has a different perspective of 'good morals', so it's subjective, i'd say."
  
• "No, let us say what we want to say, censorship is shitty."
  
• "The intention, because the outcome can end pretty much any way possible."
  
• "I don't care if it's ethically justified, they aren't dying on me."
  
• "Being evil is doing things you know is wrong, but you couldn't give less of a shit."