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

[canarycream.livejournal.com]

For the sake of debate, I'm going to play devil's advocate a bit and say Veritaserum SHOULDN'T be monitored. There are plenty of other potions that have the potential to be incredibly dangerous, debilitating, invasive, etc., that aren't strictly controlled substances.

For example, Polyjuice Potion seems to be easy enough for a twelve-year-old to brew (sure, Hermione was intelligent, but she was still only twelve). I'm a bit surprised that it was used so frequently - and without scruple - throughout the series. It directly violates another person in an incredibly intimate way. There's a huge amount of room for exploitation here. Other potions that are taught at Hogwarts also have the potential to be quite invasive. The Forgetfulness Potion, for instance, causes memory loss, and it's taught to first years. In their youth, I can't imagine them having many qualms over using it to make someone forget something embarrassing/unfair/etc. they did. The Elixir to Induce Euphoria (taught sixth year) is supposed to make the drinker inexplicably happy. This sounds all good-and-well - like Veritaserum and the Forgetfulness Potion, however, if given to someone without their consent, could be equally invasive and useful for getting what you want out of the person, in the right situation. Felix Felicis could be used to lie, cheat, get away with murder, etc, and yet remains uncontrolled, outside of not being able to use it during sporting events. Even love potions, while banned at Hogwarts, don't seem to be illegal/controlled in and of themselves, and they force one person to feel artificial love and/or lust for another.

I won't even touch upon all the charms, curses, etc. that go unregulated, for the sake of keeping this brief. In short, I guess my point is that there are a lot of other potions and spells that can be used to affect and/or violate those around others against their will. It doesn't make much sense to me to regulate one without regulating them all, which would be nearly impossible to do and stall advancement/innovation of magic drastically. So, I don't think Veritaserum should be regulated. Instead, the antidote should be more circulated and easily accessible.

Mari-Linn//Slytherin

[flyingharmony.livejournal.com]

Yes! I absolutely agree with you that there are several other potions who aren't regulated either but should be much more rather than Veritaserum; Amortentia that causes this unheatlhy obsession and can even lead to poisoning, Felix Felicis in the hands of Lord Voldemortcould have lead to even more devastation, and Polyjuice... Well we know how that ended. After all, Veritaserum only makes you tell the truth. And I think that one should really question a world where something that makes you tell teh truth should be regulated. Though, having an accessible antidote to it can reall ybe kind of helpful.

Avi//Hufflepuff//1

[flipflop-diva.livejournal.com]

It's kind of crazy, if you think about it, all the curses and jinxs and potions and whatever that they teach kids and just the crazy amount of power they hold by knowing such things. I guess that is part of why they are forbidden to do magic outside of school until they are 17. Maybe they figure it can be stopped and controlled more in school and by the time they turn 17, they are hopefully mature enough to not be using all these things in ways they shouldn't.

But anyway, back to your point, I do agree that it would be non-sensical to regulate one and not all the others, and it would probably be impossible to regulate everything, but maybe they could at least have general laws about these things, along with — as you said — readily available antidotes!


Kristine | Puff