Potions Club: Term XXIV - Activity #1

[ivory88s.livejournal.com]

Activity: Ethics Debate
Points: Long Debate - 10pts initial comment/2pts for each subsequent comment of substance; 30pt max
Deadline: Friday, September 21st - 11:59pm UTC
Details: Potions can be a tricky business with some magnificent results. But should it be monitored and if so, how? The Ministry is considering instituting a control over Veritaserum and we're going to discuss whether or not that's necessary and/or a good idea.


For this particular debate, we'll be discussing Veritaserum use, control, and distribution. Initial comment should be at least 100 words and each subsequent should be of some substance and not just "I agree!", even if you do. Why? Anything else to add?

Some things to consider:
As such a potent and effective potion, does it need to be controlled? At first glance it's fairly innocuous. It can be used in a variety of circumstances for differing reasons. Should it be controlled by the Ministry and, if so, how? Should just anyone be able to make it? And when used by the Ministry, should they just be used whenever interrogating a criminal or only in certain circumstances?

*Note: There WILL be a 24-hour grace period after the activity ends, but please make sure you're on the roster now to save time later! Not sure? Check here. Know you aren't on it? Come join the club here! Purchase any additional bonus items? Let me know here.

Comments

[mmailliw.livejournal.com]

Based on how dangerous the effects of Veritasum are, there is no way that the potion should be able to go completely unregulated. The biggest dangers of the potion are when someone is given it without being aware of it: for example, offered some 'tea' which turns out to be brewed with the Veritaserum. When someone is placed in such a situation unaware, he or she might end up having to give up classified or otherwise sensitive information under the influence of the potion. Therefore, I propose that Veritaserum be given a chemical marker such that if a drink contains enough Veritaserum to effect the drinker, it glows a particularly unnatural drinker that lets the drinker know "WARNING: THIS TEA CONTAINS VERITASERUM - DO NOT DRINK IF YOU WANT TO AVOID TELLING THE TRUTH"!

William//Slytherin [134]

[erzsebet.livejournal.com]

The idea of being given tea without being aware that it contains Veritaserum freaks me out, and I'm not even someone who has many secrets. I feel I'm pretty open with my opinions and feelings. But even still, the idea of people finding out information about me through deception and trickery strikes me as extremely wrong and invasive.

Liz | Gryffindor

[flyingharmony.livejournal.com]

Yeah, that idea really freaks me out as well and I actually don't have any secrets at all, nor do I tell lies (except very few little white lies that are absolutely necessary and probably no one would show any interest in those), but just the thought of drinking somethign with a foreign substance in it is really horrible; I wouldn't approve of ths if it were any potion - but just as you said, the idea of people finding out information about me through a way like this really isn't pleasant at all.

Avi//Hufflepuff//7

[flyingharmony.livejournal.com]

I'm not all for controlling/regulating eritaserum since, after all, it is only a potion that makes you tellt eh truth (yes I know how dangerous the truth can be) but this is a really good idea. I'm all against Veritaserum being abused and used without people knowing, so the glowing effect when put somewhere is really awesome. Those who drink it and know what it is won't be weirded out by it and those who are about to drink it and don't know it's in there wil be warned, this is kind of perfect and would probably keep many people from using it without other people's knowledge.

Avi//Hufflepuff//8