Timeline for What magic system would empower peace? (Retaining free will)
Current License: CC BY-SA 4.0
17 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 19, 2021 at 16:29 | vote | accept | Thomas F. Webber | ||
| Aug 19, 2021 at 15:05 | vote | accept | Thomas F. Webber | ||
| Aug 19, 2021 at 16:29 | |||||
| Aug 19, 2021 at 8:36 | comment | added | Grollo | The trick, then, is to never kill an opponent so that they're aware of you. Less getting shot or cut down openly, more stealthy assassinations. | |
| Aug 17, 2021 at 21:24 | comment | added | Sherwood Botsford | The curse has to be limited: Possibly it cannot be something that a healthy version of the dying person couldn't accomplish on his own. Thus, a curse on the entire clan would fizzle out after a couple of deaths. Possibly it is a matter of the will power of the dying person vs the will power of the target. Thus a curse against the entire forest of Dunsany would be more likely to succeed than one against Macbeth. | |
| Aug 16, 2021 at 22:12 | comment | added | flhl1010 | Antimatter weapons, instant Killing Curses, sniper bullets, or other methods of instantly killing people (whether magical or by simply vaporizing people without warning) could easily evade dying curses. Also, this raises the question of when a dying curse can be performed? If you are about to be killed or while you are dying? What qualifies "dying"? Can someone dying of old age curse a particular rival of theirs? | |
| Aug 16, 2021 at 15:31 | comment | added | RBarryYoung | ... Are there ways to evade justice (snipers, misdirection, etc.)? Yes, there's plenty of opportunity for drama and intrigue, but it will also cause a lot of peace as well. It's not perfect, but it is a lot better than nothing. So, possible to evade it, but very hard to abuse it. | |
| Aug 16, 2021 at 15:28 | comment | added | RBarryYoung | @DWKraus It's the OPs world, the OP determines what constitutes true righteousness, not individuals, corporations, nations, religions or other groups. The magic system is just the mechanics that implements it. And saying "curse you" as you die takes no real thought or planning. And again, this proposal has very strong guard rails, you have to be dying, your death must be unjust, you can only curse someone responsible for it, and it must be righteous. Otherwise it has no effect. ... | |
| Aug 16, 2021 at 15:24 | comment | added | DWKraus | If the god directly chooses who's curse is accepted, I would upvote that - although then the god could be directly delivering the curses and skipping the middle-man (which arguably takes away free will). I'm not saying it's a bad answer, only that a GOOD answer to this question is REALLY hard. | |
| Aug 16, 2021 at 15:21 | comment | added | DWKraus | I certainly understand your point in this, but who determines what is just or righteous? Is the god directly making judgements? If so, this stands a chance. But in this world, I'd be more likely to murder someone, not less, for fear that someone I had wronged would curse me (and kill/drug them before they could get me). Thoughtful time to compose a curse is not going to be normal for murder, but common for vengeful people who judge others to have wronged them. Sorry to be pessimistic about human nature, but those using this semi-evil power will be angry, bitter folks, not martyrs. | |
| Aug 16, 2021 at 15:15 | comment | added | RBarryYoung | ... Also, by it's very nature any magic system that "empowers peace" would be a very different world from ours and would arguably have neither Taliban nor a nation willing to be as aggressive and quasi-imperialistic as the US is today, And I suspect that that's actually the point of both the OPs question and it definitely is the point of my proposal. Important people who cause the unjust death of people should be subject to the consequences. And that would change the world, | |
| Aug 16, 2021 at 15:12 | comment | added | RBarryYoung | @DWKraus Your criticisms do not seem to reflect what I have written. Please note the use of the words "dying", "righteous" and "unjust". Mere "grudges" are not something empowered by the death-curses that I have described. Copernicus never caused anyone's death, let alone an unjust one and cursing his innocent and honest work for what others may have done about it certainly is not righteous. What I proposed above does not allow equating "self-righteous" with actual righteousness. ... | |
| Aug 16, 2021 at 14:57 | comment | added | TheDyingOfLight | The Dresden Files series has death curses, however only mages get to use them. The answer to that problem is to take out mages with a snipers bullet to the head. | |
| Aug 16, 2021 at 14:55 | comment | added | DWKraus | I upvoted this, but at the same time curses are intrinsically hurtful, and only those prone to hate/not to forgive will benefit. Society grinds to a halt as every important person is cursed by someone with a grudge. A religious person righteously curses Copernicus for his obscenities (suppressing free speech), and a dying Taliban fighter curses the US president for their unjust action (so any fanatical group believing in themselves is powerful). Soon everyone is afraid of public action for fear of the consequences as someone takes mortal offense. | |
| Aug 16, 2021 at 14:20 | history | edited | RBarryYoung | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Aug 16, 2021 at 14:12 | history | edited | RBarryYoung | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Aug 16, 2021 at 14:07 | history | edited | RBarryYoung | CC BY-SA 4.0 |
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| Aug 16, 2021 at 14:01 | history | answered | RBarryYoung | CC BY-SA 4.0 |