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

[erzsebet.livejournal.com]

Contact with Muggles would definitely help in this situation, I think. They've (lol speaking as if I'm not one~~) come up with some ways to effectively regulate substances, despite everything else they may have done wrong.

OH GOD POLYJUICE. REGULATE THE HELL OF OUT THAT. Squicks me out tbh.

I think Love Potions, definitely, should be regulated. Besides having the same squick factor as Polyjuice, we definitely don't want another Voldemort on our hands. (The fact that it seemed so easy for SCHOOLCHILDREN to get really bothered me, especially seeing as how effective they were!) Felix Felicis also, although is that already monitered (in term of Quidditch) or am I remembering that wrong?

Slytherin as in you recognized a grey area. I've always seen Veritaserum as "exposing truths" and truths as absolute black and white. I hadn't even considered there BEING a grey area of subjectiveness to it. THE WORLD IS BLACK AND WHITE, CHRISTA. #GRYFFINDOR

Liz | Gryffindor

[flyingharmony.livejournal.com]

I think it's absolutely insane that Polyjuice is not regulated! We all know what this lead lead to, if not yet in the second book, definitely after the entire Barty Crouch Jr. disaster and even then it's still not regulated, which kind of freaks me out. Love Potions should also be regulated, and eww the imagination of love potions in Voldemort's hands is kind of scary! I don't think if Felix Felicis is monitored in the hands of Quidditch but just that it's generally forbidden to use these kinds of things as doping before an actual game, so I don't know if that counts as monitoring/regulation. In the end, Veritaserum just reveals the truth and doesn't actually do anything to those who drink it, in the sense of changing them or their behaviour. Sure, this can be dangerous as well - actualyl it can be pretty damn dangerous, but still, look at all those other potions that aren't monitored either.

Avi//Hufflepuff//5

[erzsebet.livejournal.com]

Love Potions should also be regulated, and eww the imagination of love potions in Voldemort's hands is kind of scary!

Lol I was actually referencing that he was created with the abuse of a love potion, hence why he can't love and is so evil -- so reasonably, if another child were to result from a love potion they too could become like Voldemort. DNW another one. BUT YES, VOLDEMORT WITH LOVE POTIONS WOULD ALSO BE SCARY.

Liz | Gryffindor