Cruelty or Kindness...

[The NPC]

Take a generally kind person.

Are they more likely to be cruelly kind or kindly cruel.

For instance would a kind person not kill someone even knowing that the person will live in physical and spiritual agony for the rest of their life or break the legs of a crucified person knowing that it will kill them quicker*?

*= This is not intended as a religious discussion, that is just the only example that comes to mind at the moment.

Also, since you lot are varied in your knowledge base; What are some notable physical effects of extreme (war caused) guilt?

[A Man In Black]

The NPC wrote:

For instance would a kind person not kill someone even knowing that the person will live in physical and spiritual agony for the rest of their life or break the legs of a crucified person knowing that it will kill them quicker*?

This is deontology versus consequentialism. "Can the ends justify the means?" is the basic ethical dilemma. You're not going to get a solid answer for this. (Although, since your question presumes that the consequences are certain, you've slanted it towards consequentialist answers. Who's to say breaking the legs of a crucified person isn't just an additional pointless misery inflicted upon them, instead of hastening their death?)

Quote:

What are some notable physical effects of extreme (war caused) guilt?

Look up physical effects of depression and post-traumatic stress syndrome.

[The NPC]

Thank wikipedia for helping me avoid swirly eye syndrome...

I get what you're saying. I should have realized the basic dilemma. I guess in some ways I was over complicating things.

PTSD * Forehead slap* Oh well, that's why you lot make such wonderful reference aids.

[Bruunwald]

Well, I know that sometimes you gotta be cruel to be kind...

In the right measure.

Cruel to be kind: it's a very good sign.

Cruel to be kind means that I love you, babyyyyyyy...

You gotta be cruel to be kind!

[The NPC]

Bruunwald wrote:

Well, I know that sometimes you gotta be cruel to be kind...

In the right measure.

Cruel to be kind: it's a very good sign.

Cruel to be kind means that I love you, babyyyyyyy...

You gotta be cruel to be kind!

Ha :)

[Weirdo]

I think it really depends on the specific personality. I've played two separate generally kindly good-aligned healers. One of them had a more brutal personality and let the ends justify the means. She would go for a mercy kill without hesitation, or break legs if she thought it would lead to a faster death. Conversely, she would exercise "cruel mercy" and sentence someone to a fate worth than death if she thought the person deserved it.

The other one has emotional issues regarding death and would generally work to keep someone alive even if it became clear that he was only extending their suffering. On the other hand, he was not trained to torture and would never sentence an enemy to a slow and painful death when a quick one is available.

Does this make one of these characters more "good" or more "kind" than the other? I wouldn't say so. Different ways of approaching an ethical dilemma.