Good moral core (Re: Dirty Harry/Clean Harry)

[naamagatus]

No: HPFGUIDX 117215


--- In HPforGrownups at yahoogroups.com, "delwynmarch" 
<delwynmarch at y...> wrote:
<snip> 
> Del replies :
> I agree that once he'd done it, he liked the feelings it created in 
him.
> 
> But why did he tell Ron to go and have a pasty to start with ?
> 
> As the narrator reminds us, Harry never had an opportunity to share
> before, so he doesn't know that sharing creates good feelings.
> Moreover, the Dursleys taught him by example that it is better *not*
> to share, that the ideal way is to have as much for yourself as 
possible. 
> 
> So *why* did he invite Ron to his feast ? What prompted him to 
share ?
> 

How about Kant's moral imperative? (Quoted from 
http://www.faithnet.org.uk/A2%
20Subjects/Ethics/catergoricalimperative.htm)

"... 'Act as if the maxim of your action was to become through your 
will a universal law of nature.' 
In Christianity this could be expressed as 'Treat others as you want 
them to treat you.' (Matthew 7:12))"

I also makes sense from a purely psychologcial point of view (not 
Kantian) - Harry shared his sweets because, if the situation was 
reversed, he would have liked Ron to share with him. All resting on 
our universal ability to empathise - put ourselsves in the other 
person's shoes. 

This means that having been treated like garbage by the Dursleys, 
makes Harry *less* likely to treat others like that - because he 
knows how painful that is. (I think also according to research, most 
abused children do not become abusive parents themselves.)


Naama