What alignment would you say someone is if they seek to study biology, and are willing to say, experiment on convicts, and perform vivisections on potentially intelligent creatures (including humanoids). But not kidnap people, or just cause general murder (or anything else of a Chaotic bent).
I say they'd be lawful neutral, a friend says lawful evil, and another says neutral.
Please help!
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IMO?
LE at best.
Vivisection on intelligent beings. The only way he could avoid being evil is if he were some being that operated on some sort of Blue vs. Orange morality and didn't get what it was actually doing to these beings.
When one's first thoughts upon hearing the description is "Unit 731", things aren't looking good.
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It depends on how they acquire their subjects.
Kill them for the purpose, then dissect? Chaotic Evil if random, Neutral Evil or Lawful Evil if directed.
Operate only on the already dead? Neutral. Law/Chaos depends on how much procedure you involve in this process.
Operate only on the already dead, but including those you killed for other reasons? Neutral, but could VERY easily slide into evil. Be careful with this one. It's probably best to establish an "I don't dissect if I directly or indirectly caused their deaths" rule.
Operate only on those who volunteer before death completely willingly (no coercion), and only if you're sure the paperwork is all in order? Lawful Neutral.
The only way you're getting "good" out of this is if you stay neutral on it, then do good things with the knowledge you gain.
EDIT: Nevermind on the above. I was thinking "Dissection" not "Vivisection." Experimentation on living subjects can only be neutral at best, and only if the subject is completely willing to volunteer for it (no coercion of any form), and even that is borderline.
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The rub is that vivisection by definition is performed on beings which are alive. Assuming that is what he intended, I imagine lawful evil is where they're put despite any good intentions.It depends on how they acquire their subjects.
Kill them for the purpose, then dissect? Chaotic Evil if random, Neutral Evil or Lawful Evil if directed.
Operate only on the already dead? Neutral. Law/Chaos depends on how much procedure you involve in this process.
Operate only on the already dead, but including those you killed for other reasons? Neutral, but could VERY easily slide into evil. Be careful with this one. It's probably best to establish an "I don't dissect if I directly or indirectly caused their deaths" rule.
Operate only on those who volunteer before death completely willingly (no coercion), and only if you're sure the paperwork is all in order? Lawful Neutral.
The only way you're getting "good" out of this is if you stay neutral on it, then do good things with the knowledge you gain.
Yeah, note my edit.
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^^^^ That's the exception I'd allow to avoid evil: if the subjects were willing.
And in their right mind at the time.*
I mean if it's a guy sacrificing himself for the greater good....gah. But potentially understandable.
Bonus points if he has a ring of regeneration.
If it's someone that's suicidal or fatally masochistic on the other hand...
*and man, that's going to take some qualifications for someone volunteering for that
No way is the character Neutral. That you draw the line at kidnapping or outright murder on the streets does not negate the fact that you are taking apart sentient beings and experimenting on the living, just to further your studies.
The no-kidnapping plus the studying may indicate something Lawful, but it's only what we in the old days called "Lawful tendencies."
It seems like you're talking about somebody who would experiment lawfully, if he could, but is willing to do so unlawfully, so you are Neutral Evil.
Hmm, lots to think about. Although I did forget to mention the usage of anesthetics, and that he'll "fix them up" afterwards. That's sort of why I said I was thinking lawful neutral. Although it's probably more of a lawful "neutral-ish" with heavy leanings towards lawful evil.
Okay, definitely settled on lawful evil. The more I read here and the more things I said to the roommate about this definitely makes him sound evil. Evil with "greater good" style intentions.
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Okay, definitely settled on lawful evil. The more I read here and the more things I said to the roommate about this definitely makes him sound evil. Evil with "greater good" style intentions.Ends justifies the means. Just because you are evil doesnt mean you cant promote good outcomes.
Yeah, just look at Asmodeus. He may be a great evil, but he won't let anyone destroy the world. I mean, he wants to *rule* it after all.