Star Wars: The Jedi Code Of Virtue Ethics

“May the force be with you,” is a line so famous in cinema, that it has made it to spot #8 on the American Film Institutes list of the top 100 movie quotes. This line is of course from the science fiction universe that has captivated audiences for decades, Star Wars. Central to the appeal of the franchise is the age-old struggle between, the so-called good and bad, the Jedi and Sith respectively. The Jedi are often seen as the embodiment of a virtuous person given their strict code of conduct, which emphasizes virtues such as self-discipline, loyalty, and courage. Virtue ethics is a moral theory that focuses on the personal qualities and character of a person rather than a guide to their actions. Aristotle emphasizes the importance of developing

The main issue with the Jedi code is the first line which reads, “There is no emotion, there is peace.” This line emphasizes the importance of emotional detachment and suppressing one’s emotions. This is contradictory to Aristotelian virtue ethics, which emphasizes the importance of a balance between a vice of excess and a vice of deficiency. According to Aristotle, “Now it[virtue] is a mean between two vices, that which depends on excess and that which depends on defect.”(p. 28) Suppressing emotions does not lead to virtuous behavior, it leads to a vice of deficiency. Furthermore, by suppressing emotions and emphasizing emotional detachment, one may lose a sense of compassion or empathy, which are important virtues in their own right. “but to feel them at the right times, with reference to the right objects, towards the right people, with the right motive, and in the right way is what is both intermediate and best and this is characteristic of virtue.”(Aristotle, p.27) For example, the Jedi Council forbids Anakin Skywalker from pursuing a relationship with Padme, stating that romantic relationships can lead to the Dark side of the force. By not being able to practice compassion and empathy, Anakin was not able to cope with the possible death of his wife, so he turned to the Dark Side which promised her

While they often use violence as a means to defend themselves, they also use it to pursue a certain objective such as in the prequel trilogy where the Jedi engage in war against the separatists. The Jedi’s involvement in this war represents a desire to maintain their power rather than to uphold justice and security. Violence cannot be a virtue, because whether it is used for good or not, it inflicts harm on another person which is not considered virtuous. “in the case of actions adultery, theft, murder; for all of these and suchlike things imply by their names that they are themselves bad…It is not possible, then, ever to be right with regard to them.” (Aristotle, p. 28) In the movie, “Attack of the Clones,” the Jedi get word that the Separatists are building an army and instead of attempting a diplomatic or peaceful proposition, they launch an attack on their home planet. Moreover, in “Revenge of the Sith,” the Jedi Council becomes concerned that the Chancellor is becoming too powerful because of his ability to control the Senate. Mace Windu, a Jedi Master, decides to lead a group of Jedi to arrest the chancellor and instead of allowing the Chancellor due process, he intends to execute him stating, “The Jedi Council would have to take control of the senate in order to secure a peaceful transition.” The Jedi’s willingness to resort to violence to maintain their