The Ethics of Necromancy
Summary
TLDRThe video script explores the ethical implications of necromancy in fantasy settings, particularly the use of reanimated corpses as a labor force. It delves into questions of whether people have souls, if souls can be reunited with bodies, and if undead creatures possess souls. Using Dungeons & Dragons (D&D) as a reference, the script discusses the consent system in D&D that prevents unwilling creatures from being revived. It also raises concerns about the autonomy of souls, especially when powerful necromancers can control even those with souls. The video ponders on the possibility of ethically sourcing undead labor, considering societal norms, health, and safety. It suggests using the bodies of criminals who have passed away during their prison terms as a potential ethical solution, with the undead serving the remainder of their sentences as laborers. The script concludes by inviting viewers to share their thoughts on how to make undead labor more ethically viable.
Takeaways
- 🧐 **Ethical Considerations of Necromancy**: The script explores the ethical implications of using necromancy for labor purposes, considering the autonomy and rights of the deceased.
- 🌐 **Fantasy World Beliefs**: It is essential to understand the beliefs about souls and afterlife within a fantasy world, as they greatly influence the ethical perspective on necromancy.
- ⚖️ **Utilitarianism in Fantasy**: The script discusses how utilitarianism could justify the use of undead labor in a post-Enlightenment fantasy world.
- 🧟 **Undead and Souls**: The presence of souls in undead creatures like revenants, willow wisps, and ghosts complicates the ethical landscape of necromancy.
- 🛡️ **Consent in Resurrection**: D&D's rules often require consent for resurrection, but this concept is not extended to all forms of reanimation, raising ethical questions.
- 🦴 **Skeleton Labor**: The script suggests using skeletons instead of zombies for undead labor due to health and safety concerns, as well as societal comfort.
- 👻 **Reincarnation and Undead**: The concept of reincarnation adds another layer to the ethical debate, questioning the rights of souls to their former bodies.
- 🏛️ **Historical Punishment and Undead Labor**: The script proposes that the use of deceased criminals for undead labor could be ethically justified within a regulated system.
- 🌱 **Animal Corpses for Labor**: It is suggested that using animal corpses for labor might be more ethically acceptable due to societal norms and historical practices.
- 🎭 **Disguise and Deception**: The use of illusions or disguises to make undead laborers seem less unsettling is proposed as a way to reduce societal discomfort.
- 🔍 **Regulation and Transparency**: The importance of a transparent and regulated system for the ethical use of undead labor is emphasized to prevent abuse and maintain societal consent.
Q & A
What are the primary ethical considerations of using necromancy for labor in fantasy settings according to the script?
-The primary ethical considerations include the autonomy of the soul, the conditions of its consent for reanimation, and the implications of using undead creatures for labor. The ethics of whether undead beings like ghosts or revenants are treated justly, and the broader societal implications of employing such creatures are also highlighted.
How does D&D address the issue of soul consent in resurrection and reanimation?
-In D&D, the system incorporates a consent mechanism where a creature cannot be revived unless it is free and willing to return, thus respecting the autonomy of the soul in cases of resurrection. However, this consent does not typically apply to reanimation, where a necromancer's magic is used to animate the dead without the soul's return or consent.
What ethical issues arise from reanimating creatures like willow wisps and ghosts in D&D?
-Ethical issues arise because willow wisps and ghosts are considered to be souls themselves. Reanimating these entities without their consent can be seen as a violation of their autonomy. This is particularly problematic when necromancers can overpower these beings, thus blurring the lines between voluntary and involuntary servitude.
What implications does the existence of an afterlife have on the ethics of necromancy?
-The existence of an afterlife complicates the ethics of necromancy because it involves making judgments about whether a soul is better off in the afterlife or being returned to the mortal world. This can involve a potential infringement on a soul’s right to its chosen afterlife, especially if the soul is unaware or unconsenting to its reanimation.
How do different fantasy worlds potentially vary in their approach to the ethics of necromancy?
-Different fantasy worlds may have varied beliefs about the soul, the afterlife, and magic, which can lead to different ethical frameworks and practices concerning necromancy. These variations can dictate whether necromancy is considered a grave violation of rights or a more acceptable practice under certain circumstances.
What are the challenges of using undead labor in terms of health and safety?
-Challenges include the potential spread of diseases from decomposing bodies, attracting wild animals, and causing general public discomfort or fear. The script discusses how more 'sanitized' forms of undead, like skeletons, could mitigate some health and safety issues compared to more decomposed zombies.
How does the Enlightenment influence the ethical debate on necromancy?
-The Enlightenment, with its emphasis on rationality, empiricism, and possibly atheism, challenges traditional views on spirituality and ethics, possibly redefining the acceptability of using undead labor. This period of questioning and discovery could lead to new, possibly more secular ethical frameworks where utilitarian benefits of necromancy might be emphasized.
What solution does the script propose for ethically justifiable use of undead labor?
-The script suggests using skeletons of criminals who have not completed their sentences, ensuring that their souls are not attached and that the bodies are sanitized and anonymized. This approach tries to balance ethical concerns with practical utility, while integrating societal norms and legal frameworks.
Why is it problematic to reanimate recognizable individuals from one's community, according to the script?
-Reanimating recognizable individuals can cause emotional distress and societal disruption. It could violate personal and communal sanctities and norms, particularly if the undead are used in visible roles within the same community where they once lived.
What role do societal and cultural norms play in the acceptance of necromancy?
-Societal and cultural norms significantly influence the ethical acceptance of necromancy. Norms determine how the dead are traditionally treated, the respect afforded to the deceased, and the boundaries of acceptable uses of magic, all of which frame the community’s response to the use of necromancy.
Outlines
🧐 Ethical Considerations of Necromancy
The first paragraph introduces the ethical dilemma of necromancy, particularly its use as a labor-saving device. It questions whether raising the dead is ethical and if it can be made ethical. The discussion is framed within the context of fantasy settings, using Dungeons and Dragons (D&D) as a reference point. It explores the existence of souls, the possibility of reuniting souls with bodies, and the status of undead creatures concerning souls. The narrative also touches on the complexities added when considering the afterlife and the autonomy of souls, as well as the D&D mechanics of resurrection and reanimation, including the consent system and the ability of powerful necromancers to control souls.
🤔 The Ethical Quandaries of Undead Labor
The second paragraph delves into the ethical implications of using undead as a labor force. It discusses the common recycling argument and its shaky foundation when considering the souls of evil beings like will-o'-wisps. The narrative ponders the ethical stance under different belief systems, including the possibility of reincarnation and its impact on the use of bodies. It also contrasts the Enlightenment era's ethical systems, such as utilitarianism, with the use of undead labor in a modern context. The paragraph ends with a hypothetical scenario where undead labor could be legalized under strict ethical conditions.
🏳️🦱 The Human Problem with Undead Labor
The third paragraph examines the practical and ethical issues of sourcing and using reanimated corpses for labor. It discusses societal aversions to corpses and the health risks associated with decaying bodies. The narrative suggests using skeletons instead of decaying corpses to mitigate these issues but acknowledges the deep-seated human discomfort with the use of human remains. It explores alternatives like using animal corpses or creating non-humanoid undead laborers to reduce ethical objections. The paragraph also considers the societal acceptance of using such labor forces.
🦴 Ethical Reanimation: The Case of Criminals
The fourth paragraph proposes a solution to the ethical use of undead labor by suggesting the use of the bodies of criminals who have passed away before serving their full prison terms. It discusses the historical context of capital punishment and the moral evolution of crime and punishment. The narrative outlines a system where criminals could serve the remainder of their prison terms as undead laborers, provided their souls are elsewhere and their bodies are viewed as reprehensible by society. It also addresses the need for anonymization and the potential issues of long-lived species in such a system.
🧙♂️ The Regulation of Ethical Necromancy
The fifth and final paragraph summarizes the ethical framework proposed for an undead labor force, emphasizing transparency, regulation, and accountability. It discusses the potential for abuse and the need for oversight of necromancers managing such a program. The narrative concludes by inviting viewers to provide their own ethical theories and solutions for creating an undead labor force, either in a medieval fantasy society or a post-Enlightenment world, and encourages further discussion on the topic.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Necromancy
💡Ethics
💡Soul
💡Undead
💡Resurrection
💡Reanimation
💡Utilitarianism
💡Enlightenment
💡Zombies
💡Skeletons
💡Justice System
Highlights
The ethical implications of necromancy in world-building are explored, considering whether raising the dead can be justified.
Fundamental questions about the existence of souls, their reattachment to bodies, and the soul status of undead are discussed in the context of fantasy settings.
The impact of D&D rules on the perception of necromancy, where souls can be brought back and undead are typically soulless, is analyzed.
The importance of consent in resurrection and the ethical dilemmas it presents, especially when the deceased's wishes are unknown, are highlighted.
The concept of 'ethically sourced' undead labor and the complexities of ensuring health and safety compliance in a fantasy setting are examined.
The potential for using the bodies of criminals for undead labor as a form of posthumous punishment and restitution is proposed.
The ethical challenges of using animal corpses for labor in a fantasy world, considering societal norms and potential objections.
The use of illusions or non-humanoid forms to make undead labor more palatable to society, addressing the psychological discomfort associated with the dead.
The historical context of the Enlightenment and its impact on ethical considerations, including the rise of utilitarianism and its potential application to undead labor.
The potential for abuse of power by necromancers and the need for oversight and regulation in any system that uses undead labor.
The idea that undead labor could be made more acceptable if the deceased had no social connections or were widely considered to have forfeited their rights.
The suggestion that undead laborers could serve a limited term corresponding to their remaining prison sentence, adding a layer of ethical justification.
The proposal for a system where undead labor is transparent, regulated, and serves the public good, while minimizing deception and societal discomfort.
The consideration of anonymity for undead laborers to prevent the identification and potential exploitation of specific individuals.
The discussion on the potential for a fantasy society to accept undead labor if it adheres to strict ethical guidelines and societal norms.
The video concludes with an invitation for viewers to comment with their own ethical theories and considerations regarding undead labor in fantasy settings.
Transcripts
in many settings that engage in
extrapolative World building we find an
individual a group or a nation that
determines that necromancy isn't that
bad it's an excellent labor saving
device after all it's basically
recycling it's not like the dead are
using their bodies for anything in
particular right these are all examples
of arguments commonly made but I I think
what people often miss in these
broad abstractions are the real effects
that such policies place on people so is
raising the dead ethical or can we make
it
ethical let's figure this
[Music]
out there are a few questions which are
really fundamental to establish answers
to for our Quest here one do people have
souls two can these Souls be reunited
with their bodies and three do Undead
creatures have souls for every fantasy
world these answers are going to differ
drastically so let's stick with one of
the most influential and Broad fantasy
properties and one which allows us the
full spectrum from Resurrection to
reanimation DND D so in a world playing
by D and D's rules the answers are
generally yes people have souls
generally yes Souls can be brought back
heun back together with bodies and
generally no Undead are usually not
considered insold but there is a fourth
very important question who knows these
things if our fantasy citizens are
working with incomplete data they may
find poor ethical Solutions in the case
that a person believed that Undead
created from a specific type of ritual
do actually have their souls return to
them then reanimation becomes in effect
no different to Resurrection as seen in
Eon with the areni with their undying
Court of ancestors still walking among
the populace if an individual becomes
aware by a trusted Authority that an
afterlife is real and which afterlife
their loved one has gone then we add
further complexity a value judgment must
be made on soul behalf whether their
happiness is best served by remaining in
their afterlife or returning to the
mortal world thus in some settings that
are not D and for a reason we'll talk
about later even
Resurrection is sometimes unethical as
it Robs a soul of its autonomy and a
chance at Bliss or an afterlife at this
particular moment or alternatively
perhaps Resurrection becomes a moral
imper imperative if you know that a soul
is to be tortured eternally unless we
adopt a particularly fatalistic Outlook
that their choices are what has led them
to this particular afterlife as a
consequence of their actions and nothing
should intercede in that process as
mentioned earlier D and D sidesteps this
particular Problem by instituting a
consent system by which a creature
cannot be revived if it is not free and
willing so in this system a soul can
refuse Resurrection no such availability
however is made for reanimation this is
ostensibly because the reanimating force
is not the soul but the Caster's magic
right well not always see there are some
creatures who are Undead and either have
or are explicitly Souls that remain in
the Mortal realm creatures like
revenants Willow wisps and ghosts for
instance in fifth edition there is
currently no way to summon a willowwisp
or Revenant directly but with summon
Undead you can absolutely summon a quote
ghostly Spirit whether we describe it as
bending a local ghost to your service or
creating one a new from your own magic
this raises some serious questions this
is without mentioning that Necromancer
wizard can quite literally take control
of the autonomy of unwilling Souls at
14th level including any ghosts Willow
wisps or revenants who can even be
player options so the line is incredibly
mudded we cannot differentiate between
spells which require the Soul's consent
and spells which require no consent from
the soul because necromancers of
sufficient power can overpower even
beings which have souls or which are
souls Willow wisps are quite literally
described in the monster manual as The
Souls of evil beings the common
recycling argument is looking a little
more shaky now especially because ghosts
and Willow wisps are souls specifically
divorced from bodies but both the body
and the Soul exist in the same plane of
existence in the case of an evil
individual who drowns alone in a bog and
returns as a wisp this creature exists
as a corpse and a soul in the same local
in the same very bog should a
necromancer pull the body out of the bog
and invy it with animated spirit is that
a violation of the Soul's autonomy or
not it's very very unclear one assumes
that the created Willows would have
something to say about that particular
violation although because Willow wisps
are inherently evil creatures maybe
that's in some way ethically justifiable
I'm not going to even get into the
notion
of codified evil creatures in this point
but this is all very Christian coded
what if we're actually operating under
other systems or assumptions if for
example there's a possibility of
reincarnation how do we decide which
body is which Souls surely if someone
has moved on to a new form their old
body is just there to feed the worms
there to exist in nature maybe it is at
this point simple
recycling if we can prove it DN D does
have a spell which reincarnates
individuals and it is my personal
favorite form of Resurrection mechanics
in in in storage telling but that's kind
of by the by reincarnation opens up this
whole other can of worms if there's a
long and broken chain of bodies that
Soul has inhabited over the past what
can we do or what can't we do with those
bodies does the soul have a right to
them or not and is that right waved if
in the process of Resurrection
especially if that Resurrection is
consented to by a spellcaster using
magic I think it's about time to discuss
the ethics of the Enlightenment in our
world this was a period of extreme
change in Social Moray atheism was
beginning to become a legitimate
philosophical movement and rationality
and empiricism had taken root in the
minds of the socialized intellectual
Elites this was a time for questioning
the established order and the time of
the Scientific Revolution which sought
to describe describe the physical
Material World entirely separately from
the world of divinity and
spirit for pretty much the first time
please feel free to fact check me on
that as such we get some pretty
historically alien ethical systems being
developed most notably
utilitarianism this posits that the
greatest good is served by maximizing
good for every person it in essence
considering animated skeletons and
zombies are not usually considered among
the ranks of insol persons making use of
these creatures for the collective good
of people may be a marbly justifiable or
a morally necessary act under
utilitarianism indeed in the post
Enlightenment hyper capitalistic modern
world which in many countries assumes
Faith to be a secondary concern I can
easily Envision a zombie Workforce
properly controlled to be championed as
a novel if morbid labor saving device
indeed if we got over the shock of magic
being real I would not be surprised if
the UK eventually legalized Undead labor
as long as they were ethically sourced
and health and safety compliant the
thing is many any fantasy worlds are not
currently undergoing a philosophical
Enlightenment where the role of faith is
unsteady and unstable in stark contrast
to a rising tide of discoveries in the
observable dynamics of the material
world although to be honest if there are
any fantasy settings like that I I would
love to learn about them maybe kind of
like the late disc World Books but with
more plcape thrown in it sounds like a
really really fun time so please do link
me if if you know of any settings in
that in the throws of this thorny
question anyway even putting aside the
absurdity of a world with real provable
deities undergoing such a movement let's
actually unpack the human problem ethics
is an abstracted study it is intended to
provide both context and Frameworks for
dealing with some specific real world
scenarios but real life is infinitely
complex and messy let's actually
interrogate what ethically sourced and
healthy and safe reanimated corpses
might actually look like first things
first they're not zombies the thing is
ever since we have started exhibiting
social
behavior the corpse has been an object
of disgust we bury them we burn them or
we leave them away from the food or
Living Spaces
why well it's not like our ancestors
knew enough about bacteria to understand
the health risks of having corpses
nearby but they understood their own
experiences leave a corpse out and wild
animals come close to feed on it so to
keep your clan safe you have to solve
this issue either you put your dead away
from civilization as a distraction for
the beasts or bury them so deep that
while animals won't dig them up or smell
them easily leaving them somewhere near
people also causes bad smells annoying
insects and an increase in people
feeling unwell so keep the dead away all
of these are learnable behaviors within
just a few generations of existence and
thought and many of these are practiced
by animals as well so health and safety
isn't quite as modern and absurd a all
as you might think so zombies would make
a really bad choice for any Undead labor
force because of all of these issues
they spread disease and wild animals
will want a pieace so what about corpses
that have finished rotting well clean
bones are more hygienic than rotten
flesh and we have the added benefit that
it is hard to pick out identifying
features of skeletons unless an
individual has died in a very specific
way or is physically deformed in some
manner or incredibly tall and remarkable
in that sense we can assume that most
folks won't raise the same stink as they
might if they see their grandmother
reanimated as a zombie doing fieldwork
so skeletons solve a few of our health
and safety concerns as long as the
necromancers can control them properly
and safeguards are put in place in case
something goes wrong with their's magic
but can we create a situation where
ethically we are justified in using
skeleton labor after all as Julia chisa
tells us the corpse is a primary symbol
of objection it stands invariably
outside the norms and acceptableness of
society however much we are desensitized
to representations of the skeleton in
our media fact remains that the bones
the actual bones of a person stir
something within people be that a primal
discomfort or simply thoughts that this
is a bit maab even if we clean our
theoretical skeletons completely using
fire acid or magic the fact remains that
they are still a corpse and we are hard
wired to reject the corpse from society
it is abject so how could this be solved
well you could try bodies which seem
less personlike depending on the moral
compunctions of your world or Society
creatures bred for meat or servitude may
actually elicit different
reactions as creatures seen as people as
long as your Society is all in agreement
that these folks are not people goblins
and Cobalts are interesting examples of
this of course the ethics of this are
questionable at best but it is true that
in a fantasy world the line gets far
fuzzier when there are folks who can you
know talk to animals and monsters who
are more intelligent than seemingly
humanoid people your best bet if your
magic system does allow for it are
animal corpses as they do tend to elicit
less disgust among people and we have
historically exploited the them for
labor forever although we have also
historically exploited our fellow man um
so that's not a great argument and I'm
pretty sure any nature loving
individuals be they Druids or otherwise
in your setting may have a lot to say
about the exploitation of animals even
in death a solid choice for solving both
the health concerns and the
squeamishness concerns uh is creating a
shell sealant or other disgust eyes for
your uh Undead labor force it may be a
somewhat tired Trope but acting like
your Undead labor force is actually
animated scarecrows or some topof the
range new automaton or simply just a
conjured Workforce using Illusions might
be a solid way to cause the least harm
by placing Undead in and amongst your
fields workers however Canan ethics
still would not approve of the attempt
to deceive a mass group of people this
would be an ethical ill so how could we
possibly create a system where Undead
are working out in the open or at least
people are cognizant that Undead are
working out in the open without this
objection and disgust taking hold and
without lying to the general populace
the the only way I can see a standard
fantasy Society accepting this is really
a combination of everything we have
discussed so far reanimation of strictly
skeletons cleared and prepared to be
relatively sterile such a society would
need to ensure that these individuals
Souls were certainly elsewhere either
through divination Magics or a deal with
some extra planer entity and that the
bodies used were considered to be
reprehensible by the populace to avoid
the bad Optics of kindly grandmas being
drafted into the undead horde so we are
left with one obvious choice criminals
throughout history most human societies
have held capital punishment as part of
their Justice systems the moral failings
of such a system were really first
discussed properly in the Enlightenment
at least as best as I can tell meaning
we have a lot of human history where the
ritual punitive sacrifice of criminals
lives and limbs was standard and ethical
by the standards of the time however to
make the best argument we can this
acceptable ethical necromancy will not
be killing for the purpose of creating
Undead workforces instead perhaps we can
exploit the fact that even inter
modernity sentencing for crimes putting
criminals Behind Bars involves prison
terms terms upon the Fulfillment of
which the individual is released out
into the public for serious offenses
maybe these terms can stretch beyond the
expected lifespan of an individual for
the most serious criminals it may be the
only ethical choice to keep them
imprisoned for the remainder of their
life for the safety of their fellow man
again the ethics of Crime and Punishment
are a little beyond the scope of this
video um so please if you do find that
interesting get in the comments and uh
Tear Me Apart as such any individual who
dies before their prison term is
served may have the choice or perhaps be
forced by law to spend the rest of this
term as an undead laborer working to
repay the community even in modernity we
see a distinctive lack of sympathy for
prisoners which though quite personally
distressing does mean that this would
most likely be a popular policy measure
but we're not here to be popular we are
here to be ethical and the attempt is to
make an undead labor force at least
ethically
justifiable and as such co-operating the
justice system as long as the system is
just seems like a reasonable way to go
bodies would in this system only be able
to remain animated Undead as long as
they have left in their stated terms
perhaps that may be made permanent for
some of the worst offenders to assuage
any doubts that these Undead criminals
may go back to their old ways um they
would need to be anonymized and fully
covered in some more sightly trappings
than a walking skeleton for sensitivity
purposes and to avoid any of those
unpleasant feelings of disgust
immediately taking place um especially
for visitors to this area or children
guarantees would likely be made that
criminals who operated and victimized a
specific local area would be transferred
far away from this area before being put
to work and on completion of the term
all criminals uh would be given a bual
perhaps this would be an incentive for
um opting into this program whereby
criminals can serve the rest of their
terms as Undead before being laid to
rest in a proper Ceremony this might In
fairness unintentionally create a rather
problematic tearing of species
though as hiding all identifying markers
such as height build or you know
horns might be tricky and also longer
lived species would be far less commonly
uh put to work in this way in fact an
elf who is punished thusly May well be
the only corpse of the elv and
persuasion making this whole anonymity
thing a little purposeless nonetheless
this is about the best I can do corpses
that are determined to hold absolutely
no and sold connection are put to work
for the good of the public who they have
wronged under a regulated and
transparent system which minimized his
deception while avoiding unpleasant
associations which also holds recorded
accountability Among The Justice System
including limited terms of use of course
there are abuse cases and questions that
must be asked of the necromancers who
might be running this program but that's
about as good as I can get it do let me
know if you think it can be done better
more ethically please do get in the
comments and give me your own theories
your own workings out to make this as
ethically viable as we can either in the
context of a pseudo medieval fantasy
Society or as I'm I've tried to do in
this video in a mid uh to post
Enlightenment world and if you want more
videos in this vein please do let me
know by subscribing and and letting me
know in the comments it is of course
October after all the spookiest month of
them all but with that said thank you so
much for watching I have been Tom
otherwise known as the Great D master
and I will see you in the next video
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