Sorry about quoting from way back, but I have to address this:
AshenEndemion wrote...
Since the definition of "person" is "a human being, whether man, woman, or child," the definition of "people" wouldn't include elves. So only half the mages are "people" then... fair enough?
We can play semantics, but I'd prefer not to. The fact of the matter is that there is no group of people (in the real world) that, from birth, are capable of killing another just by thinking it. Which is, essentially, what mages can do. This ability, in itself, makes these "people" not people. The entire idea of "all men are created equal" is lost if there is a group that can do things, from birth, that others have no chance of doing.
Because we know that a non-mage cannot cast magic, the two groups (mages and people) are not equal. And they never will be. It is this inherent fact that needs to be ingrained into everyone. And to claim otherwise is an affront to the idea itself.
Now, I am not saying that mages should be treated poorly... But they shouldn't be given free reign to do what they wish. They are dangerous, but more than that, they have a potential for danger that a normal person has no chance of achieving. It is for that reason that mages do not deserve to be let free to roam society at their wims. They should be, at the very least, segregated from the general public for the protection of all.
Those who claim that all people are created equal in the sense of having equal capabilities are spewing feel-good nonsense. People aren't created equal in that sense of the phrase. Some people are smarter, stronger, prettier, etc. You could say that smarter people are more dangerous because they are capable of grasping skills and technology that are dangerous in unprincipled hands. You could say stronger people are because they are more able to take someone down in a fight. You could say prettier people are because they are more persuasive and better able to manipulate people to do what they want. If personhood is reliant on being as unhazardous as possible, the physically and/or mentally handicapped would be considered to have the highest degree of personhood. What we really have is a system in which all humans are considered people, regardless of their relative power. If we knew of the existence of sapient non-humans, we would probably consider them people as well. The fact of the matter is that all people do not have the same amount of power, but they are all afforded the same moral considerations.
If it can be said that people are created equal in some manner, that manner is in moral consideration. All people have the right to certain freedoms and no one can infringe on those freedoms except as a matter of punishment for wrongdoing. Whether you are powerful or not, you have the right to life, meaning that a person who takes your life is wrong for doing so, regardless of his/her relative power. In terms of DA, mages cannot be considered to be non-persons simply because they have power, so they should be afforded the same freedoms that everyone else is afforded. If everyone has the freedom to move about except the mages, that is an injustice because it is removing the freedoms of personhood from those otherwise deserving them.
I can understand how mages would be feared and/or despised for their power, but that doesn't make it right to imprison them. People with more power are generally more capable of being dangerous, which might frighten people. People with more power are also often more successful, which tends to inspire envy. But power also grants one a greater capability to do good. Consider Anders: he is a healer. A non-mage would not have the power to instantly alleviate injuries as Anders can. He uses that power selflessly early on in the game. He runs a free clinic to heal the ailments of those too poor to go to a Circle mage or, if they exist, a doctor for help. Though he has the power to do great harm (and, yes, he later uses it), he also has the power to do great good. Instead of considering solely the danger a person potentially poses, the good a person can do should also be taken into account. But a person should be judged for neither until acting in a manner that is good or bad.
Modifié par Crossroads_Wanderer, 16 avril 2011 - 07:59 .
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