Killing people is horrible. It’s why DE are “bad people”, because they kill. You can’t claim DE to be bad people, and yet rejoice at their death.
No that’s not why they are “bad people”, and yes you can. Who is killed and why also matters. Or do you see no difference between murdering innocent people and killing Aurors, and killing the murderers themselves to stop them from going on another spree?
Or do you see no difference between murdering innocent people and killing Aurors, and killing the murderers themselves to stop them from going on another spree?
You’re confusing two things, the direct and indirect consequences. The death of “innocent people” (who is truly “innocent” anyway, who defines what “innocent” is, and aren’t the kids of death eaters “innocent” and yet themselves victims too ?) and the death of murderers are, in themselves, terrible. The direct consequence of killing is something very, very bad in both cases.
The indirect consequences are more complicated. Killing murderers when it’s the only solution you have (ie, you can’t incapacitate them) to prevent them from killing again is acceptable, not because killing murders in itself is good, but because it saves more lives.
But the indirect consequences unfold in many different ways, that you can’t always fully apprehend. That’s why there are deontological rules like “killing innocents is worse than killing murders”. It’s not inherently true, it doesn’t mean the life of a “murder” has no value, it just means that the broad, general consequences for society as a whole if people are allowed to kill “murders” when they feel cornered tend to be less bad than allowing them to kill “innocent” when they feel cornered.
But it’s not even that simple. Was Dumbledore right to kill Narcissa (if he did) to stop the Death Eaters from targeting family of the Order ? Narcissa was “innocent”. And yet, in the specific situation, while the direct consequences of killing her are horrible, the indirect consequences (protecting family of the Order) are positive. But that long-term reasoning doesn’t make the death of Narcissa, and the pain of Draco, any less horrible.
And that’s why Harry was right to kill the Death Eaters, because the alternative would have lead to much more death. But that doesn’t mean the death of the 36 people, including the father of one of his best friends, isn’t a very tragic event.
No that’s not why they are “bad people”, and yes you can. Who is killed and why also matters. Or do you see no difference between murdering innocent people and killing Aurors, and killing the murderers themselves to stop them from going on another spree?
You’re confusing two things, the direct and indirect consequences. The death of “innocent people” (who is truly “innocent” anyway, who defines what “innocent” is, and aren’t the kids of death eaters “innocent” and yet themselves victims too ?) and the death of murderers are, in themselves, terrible. The direct consequence of killing is something very, very bad in both cases.
The indirect consequences are more complicated. Killing murderers when it’s the only solution you have (ie, you can’t incapacitate them) to prevent them from killing again is acceptable, not because killing murders in itself is good, but because it saves more lives.
But the indirect consequences unfold in many different ways, that you can’t always fully apprehend. That’s why there are deontological rules like “killing innocents is worse than killing murders”. It’s not inherently true, it doesn’t mean the life of a “murder” has no value, it just means that the broad, general consequences for society as a whole if people are allowed to kill “murders” when they feel cornered tend to be less bad than allowing them to kill “innocent” when they feel cornered.
But it’s not even that simple. Was Dumbledore right to kill Narcissa (if he did) to stop the Death Eaters from targeting family of the Order ? Narcissa was “innocent”. And yet, in the specific situation, while the direct consequences of killing her are horrible, the indirect consequences (protecting family of the Order) are positive. But that long-term reasoning doesn’t make the death of Narcissa, and the pain of Draco, any less horrible.
And that’s why Harry was right to kill the Death Eaters, because the alternative would have lead to much more death. But that doesn’t mean the death of the 36 people, including the father of one of his best friends, isn’t a very tragic event.