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

[flyingharmony.livejournal.com]

To be honest, I really don't know what to think about the handling of Vertaserum. There sure are a bunch of potions that have to be monitored and controlled because otherwise everything would end in pure chaos, but I am quite unsure if Veritaserum should be handled as one of those. For example, look at Polyjuice Potion! Polyjuice in the wrong hands can lead to chaos and destruction and disasters like in the Triwizard Tournament, and Veritaserum doesn't do that. On the opposite actually, Veritaserum only makes you tell the truth, nothing more. Sure, now one could find the point of that the truth, once revealed, can lead to disaster, chaos and destruction as well - which unfortuantely is true - but telling the truth should be, unless in very few exceptional situations, self-evident anyway, so no one who doesn't have anything to hide will have to fear anything about Veritaserum,b ecause it won't have a single effect on them. Sure, Veritaserum, too can be abused (for instance, Snape's threat about putting it into Harry's pumpkin juice or, more severely, Umbridge's sessions with students) but really, technically any potion could be abused. So perhaps it would be smart to maybe monitor Veritaserum a tiny little bit, lay the focus on different, much more dangerous potions.

Avi//Hufflepuff//216