Karma & Responsibility

Cliff Landishttp://clifflandis.net

http://flickr.com/photos/althouse/461498973/

Karma: Definition

• From the Sanskrit कर्म� (karman) meaning Action / Deed / Work

• Later, included the results of those actions.

• Evolved to include the universal response to those actions

(“Karma” from International Encyclopedia of Ethics)

Factors• Time• Origin• Amount• Type• Reactive vs. Proactive• Intent• Intercession• Transferability

TimeActions in this life affect this life only

Actions in this life determine next life

http://flickr.com/photos/piratescott/481831149/http://flickr.com/photos/travelinlibrarian/2410172422/

Origin

http://flickr.com/photos/coolkarni/2459484792/ http://flickr.com/photos/toptechwriter/522395769/

Divine vs. Natural Law

Return Amount

Why 3?

http://flickr.com/photos/raphb/795945796/

Return Type

http://flickr.com/photos/raphb/795945796/

http://flickr.com/photos/villes/1036963896/

http://flickr.com/photos/splityarn/2089021595/

?

Reactive vs. Proactive

http://flickr.com/photos/dan4th/483909925/ http://flickr.com/photos/minifig/244491886/

Intent

http://flickr.com/photos/skampy/2317141091/

Intercession?

http://flickr.com/photos/needtothinkharder/1502251321/

http://flickr.com/photos/fortphoto/434414965/

Transferability?

Different Religions’ Views

Hinduism

http://flickr.com/photos/dey/95307240/

• This life affects the next life•Forgiveness from Varuna Universal Law•Automatic -- you determine your own fate•Your duty to fulfill your role, no matter how distasteful.•Goal of escape from the cycle of rebirth•Escape possible through enlightenment, work, love & devotion, meditation, etc.

(“Karma” from International Encyclopedia of Ethics)

Buddhism

http://flickr.com/photos/bezoire/63205317/

• No permanent soul, but “a flame passing from one candle to the next”•Karma may or may not follow you from one life to the next•Karma is affected by:

•Intention•Actions (and speech)•Effects of the actions

•Karma can be changed by good deeds or intercession by someone else (such as by a Buddha or a monk).

(“Karma” from International Encyclopedia of Ethics)

Jainism• Unintentional harm still brings karma (hence strict behavioral and dietary limits).•Release from rebirth possible by “working off” old karma without acquiring new karma.

(“Karma” from International Encyclopedia of Ethics)

Roman/Greek Paganism

http://flickr.com/photos/44124324682@N01/2294464138/

•Fortuna (Fate)•Nemesis (Retribution / Revenge)•Invidia (Greek counterpart to Nemesis)•Nemesis-Fortuna

Norse Paganism

http://flickr.com/photos/teresa-stanton/2446792155/

• Three Norns guard Yggdrasil•Many other norns arrive at a person’s birth, bringing both good and ill fate to them.

Wicca / Pagan Witchcraft

http://flickr.com/photos/sharman/131534499/

• Rule/Law of Three•Gardener’s High Magic’s Aid (1949)•Buckland’s I Live With a Witch (1968)•Thompson’s Rede of the Wiccae (1975)

•Many other variants of reciprocation ethics.•Various interpretations of “harm none”

Justice?

http://flickr.com/photos/hj_barraza/155885475/

What Works, What Doesn’t?

Responsibility

• If Karma follows you across lives, you are responsible (to blame) for your poverty/illness/bad luck.

• This belief perpetuates social injustice.

http://flickr.com/photos/mmj171188/228853651/

The Law of Attraction

• Again, people are to blame, but now because they don’t think positively.

• Think happy thoughts and all the badness will go away?

http://flickr.com/photos/devnull/78202647/

Optimism• However, if you’re

naturally optimistic, you might think positively about what randomly happens in your life.

• Long wait in the Dr.’s office? Now I can read that book!

• Newton’s 1st Law.http://flickr.com/photos/bugbunnybambam/2237297708/

Law?

http://flickr.com/photos/48745248@N00/225249268/

• It’s only a natural law if it occurs at all places and times.

• Some bad people get away with no punishment.

• Therefore, unless Karma follows you through lives, it cannot be a law.

It is beyond our control?

http://flickr.com/photos/practicalowl/438759156/

• Proactive vs. Reactive• Can we be the “hand

of Karma?”• Intent?• Can others intercede for

us?• Can we transfer our

Karma to other people or things?

So Now What?!?

Ethics of Reciprocity

• Rule of Three• Karma• Golden Rule

http://flickr.com/photos/jackace/565857899/

Other Ethics

• Virtue Ethics• Feminist Ethic of

Care

Cliff’s Personal Ethics?

http://flickr.com/photos/undercover_surrealist/2405424212/

• I could have been born into different circumstances

• Bad things happen both by chance, and because of my actions

• I can make choices• I can think before I

act

http://flickr.com/photos/desiitaly/2193724466/

Please, Think

Please, Act Responsibly

http://flickr.com/photos/ninjapoodles/1781605101/

http://flickr.com/photos/oberazzi/318947873/