Chapter 233: lunch and philosophy I

Chapter 233: Chapter 233: lunch and philosophy I

By the time the four girls reached the university cafeteria, the lunch crowd had already begun to gather.

The dining hall was considerably busier than it had been earlier that morning.

Students filled the long tables beneath the vaulted ceiling, their conversations overlapping into a steady hum.

Some discussed the newly announced midterms.

Others were already talking about the Sports Fest.

Polo, in particular, seemed to have become the subject of conversation everywhere they went.

"I heard registration opens tomorrow," Amelia said as they settled at their usual table.

Claire nodded.

"And apparently there are already more students interested than they can accommodate."

"Sixteen teams," Eleanor said.

Vivienne smiled.

"That won’t be enough."

Claire looked at her.

"You sound very certain."

"I’ve read the registration requirements."

"Of course you have."

Vivienne ignored the comment.

She took a sip of water.

"I think the polo tournament will be crowded."

Amelia grinned.

"You’re only interested because Christopher is playing."

Vivienne didn’t even bother pretending otherwise.

"That certainly makes it more interesting."

Claire laughed.

At least Vivienne was honest about that.

Their conversation drifted naturally between the Sports Fest, the coming examinations, and the growing pile of readings they still had to complete.

For an hour, they simply enjoyed being together.

Then the bell rang.

Claire glanced toward the clock.

"Philosophy."

Vivienne sighed.

"Right."

She gathered her books.

"Let’s go question the meaning of existence."

Eleanor smiled.

"Perhaps Professor Whitlock will let us question it without assigning an essay afterward."

Amelia laughed.

"Don’t say things like that."

"You’ll tempt fate."

The four girls left the cafeteria together.

--

The Philosophy lecture was held in the same amphitheater they had used earlier in the semester.

Vivienne settled between Claire and Eleanor.

Across the room, Evelyn took her usual place near the front.

Their eyes met briefly.

Neither acknowledged the other.

Vivienne looked away.

A moment later, Professor Rowan Whitlock entered.

He placed several books upon the lectern before turning toward the class.

"Good afternoon."

The students responded.

Professor Whitlock picked up a piece of chalk.

Without further introduction, he wrote across the board:

WHAT DO WE OWE OTHER PEOPLE?

Vivienne paused.

Professor Whitlock turned around.

"Last time, we discussed the nature of education."

"Today, I’d like us to consider something considerably more personal."

A few students smiled.

"Ethics."

He underlined the word.

"More specifically..."

"What makes an action morally right or wrong?"

Several students immediately began writing.

Professor Whitlock continued.

"Most people have an intuitive understanding of right and wrong."

"We know that stealing is generally wrong."

"We know that deliberately hurting someone is generally wrong."

"But ethical philosophy becomes considerably more difficult when the situation is less obvious."

He looked around the room.

"Consider this."

He wrote another sentence beneath the first.

If you know that someone cares deeply about you, what responsibility do you have toward their feelings?

Vivienne’s pen stopped.

She stared at the board.

For some reason...

That seemed unnecessarily specific.

Professor Whitlock continued.

"Let us make the question more difficult."

"Suppose someone develops romantic feelings for you."

"You do not share those feelings."

"But you enjoy their company."

"You enjoy their attention."

"And you know that they hope the relationship may eventually become something more."

He paused.

"However, you never explicitly promise them anything."

"Have you done anything morally wrong?"

The room became quiet.

Several students looked thoughtful.

Professor Whitlock smiled faintly.

"Take your time."

"This is not a question with an obvious answer."

A hand rose.

Professor Whitlock nodded toward a student near the middle.

"I believe the person isn’t necessarily doing anything wrong."

"Why?"

"Because feelings aren’t obligations."

"If someone falls in love with you, you aren’t required to love them back."

Professor Whitlock nodded.

"An important distinction."

Another student raised his hand.

"But if they know the other person has feelings..."

"Doesn’t that create some responsibility?"

"Responsibility for what?"

"Not taking advantage of them."

Professor Whitlock smiled.

"Good."

He turned toward the board.

AUTONOMY

RESPONSIBILITY

He wrote the two words beneath the question.

"These are often placed in opposition."

"Autonomy suggests that each individual is responsible for their own choices."

"Responsibility suggests that our actions affect other people and may therefore create obligations."

He turned back toward the class.

"The difficulty is determining where one ends and the other begins."

Vivienne found herself interested despite herself.

Professor Whitlock continued.

"Suppose you know someone has feelings for you."

"You continue spending time with them because you genuinely enjoy their friendship."

"Is that wrong?"

"No," someone answered.

"What if you also enjoy knowing that they like you?"

The room became quieter.

"What if you deliberately flirt with them?"

"Not because you intend to enter a relationship..."

"But because you enjoy their attention?"

Several students exchanged glances.

Professor Whitlock smiled.

"Now we have a more difficult problem."

Vivienne leaned back slightly.

She had an answer.

And she raised her hand.

Professor Whitlock noticed.

"Miss Beaumont."

Vivienne spoke calmly.

"I still don’t think it’s necessarily wrong."

Professor Whitlock gestured for her to continue.

"If the person hasn’t promised anything, then the other person can’t reasonably assume that they’re entitled to a relationship."

"People are responsible for their own expectations."

Professor Whitlock nodded.

"Even when those expectations are foreseeable?"

Vivienne considered that.

"Yes."

"If I know someone likes me, that doesn’t mean I have to change how I behave around them."

"Otherwise, people would constantly have to manage other people’s emotions."

A few students nodded.

Vivienne continued.

"I think the important distinction is whether you’ve actually deceived them."

"If you tell them you don’t want a relationship, then what they choose to believe afterward isn’t really your responsibility."

Professor Whitlock smiled.

"An argument based strongly on personal autonomy."

Vivienne nodded.

"Exactly."

He turned toward the class.

"Miss Beaumont argues that moral responsibility cannot simply be imposed because another person has developed an expectation."

"An individual retains the right to decide whom they spend time with and how they conduct their relationships."

He paused.

"Does anyone disagree?"

A hand rose.

Near the front.

Vivienne already knew who it belonged to.