Moral power sources OTHER than Good/Evil, Order/Chaos?

[vicky_molokh]

Greetings, all!

I'm interested in moral divisions other than by the axes of Good/Evil and Order/Chaos. In fact, I'm also interested in moral divisions which are not bipolar. I think Stasis/Change is one of the simpler bipolar ones. WW's Wyld, Weaver and Wyrm is an interesting tripolar division. Any more/better ones?

Thanks in advance!

[tantric]

Well, Buddhist cosmology acknowledges the Heavens and Hells, but our powers (the Buddha outlined several possible psychic powers) come from neither. Heaven is the dummy prize. Yet it is, quintessentially, moral - it comes from relinquishing desire and exercising compassion and wisdom. I suppose you could call it 'bodhi' or somesuch, but it would be more like psionics. You don't have to be buddhist to have all of them but the power to experience past lives, but you do have to be a monk.

" In Buddhism, there are so-called Six Psychic Power, which can be attained through long and intense training in meditation. The Buddha has advised his disciples not to exercise such psychic power, such as walking on water, exorcising spirits, fortune-telling, etc. The people may be converted and attracted to a religion, not because they realize the truth, but because they harbour hallucinations. It is not appropriate. In Buddhism, miracles can hinder a person to attain enlightenment.

The Buddha says that a person can gain miraculous power without gaining spiritual power. However, it is dangerous because this power may be misused, and harmful to people. These so-called miracles are merely imaginations and hallucinations created by their own minds due to a lack of understanding of things as they truly are. The Buddha expressly forbade his disciples to use miracles to prove the superiority of his teachings. The Buddha teaches us to cultivate and gain the spiritual power, then we automatically have the psychic power too. The latter is the "side-product" of the former, but the Buddha advises us not to crave and cling to the psychic power, or any other responses in form. The change for the better arising from an understanding of Dharma is the highest miracle that one can perform. "

[chris1982]

Well basically it nearly always burns down to

selflessness vs selfishness
and
change vs no change

[Anders]

Liberalim vs. Conservatism vs. Socialism?

Could be interesting in a modern game.

[vicky_molokh]

Tantric:
I'm very grateful for more words about another stance regarding Buddhism (I'm kinda in the process of examining its many facets and variations), and I don't want to discourage you, but I don't see how to actually make the division in clear terms.

[Figleaf23]

Some Alternative Moralities:

-Will to Power
-Green Eco-conservation
-Traditionalism
-Self-abnegation

[finn]

How about Virtue, Honor, Truth and Freedom?
Some may be made bipolar if you want them to be (e.g. Freedom vs Slavery)
Love, Care and Compassion (although all similar) will also work.

[Peter Knutsen]

Originally Posted by Molokh

Tantric:
I'm very grateful for more words about another stance regarding Buddhism (I'm kinda in the process of examining its many facets and variations), and I don't want to discourage you, but I don't see how to actually make the division in clear terms.

I also don't see how it is applicable to roleplaying gaming, seeing as roleplaying gaming is escapism for the high-intelligence population segment.

Abilities you have but aren't supposed to use?? Pardon my Frankish, but get the eff out of here!! That's so wrong it hurts!!!!

[GoodGame]

Originally Posted by Asta Kask

Liberalim vs. Conservatism vs. Socialism?

Could be interesting in a modern game.

Say, the political compass?
Authoritarianism<->Libertarian, Left<-> Right
(Left and Right will vary with the particular society and it's morals)

http://www.politicalcompass.org/composers


A completely different one could be based on the horoscope. 12 signs equals twelve different powers to swear by. You could get funky and figure out the planets/houses as variations of a power. Make each power a particular value, like 3e D&D gods, but give them full freedom to ally, betray, fight the other powers in any pattern they like.


Another modern/romantic one could be based on the mottos/values of each nation in the campaign world, with some overlap of values allowed. E.g. could be German vs. French vs. American, etc...

[Qoltar]

Objectivists vs. Second-handers?

In an Ayn Rand based game setting of course.


- Ed Charlton