The Dark Knight

The Dark Knight is considered to be Christopher Nolan’s “magnum opus” of sorts. Boasting a thrilling plotline, intense action, and one of the most sinister antagonists of recent times, it has become a classic in film history. On the surface, we may see it as a popcorn flick, a blockbuster designed to entertain the masses, but at its core it is much more. Nolan’s work contains ethical questions that each and every one of us grapples with in our daily lives. The characterization of these people allows us to see beneath the surface, and to understand the true dilemma. Throughout the maze of ethical dilemma, we need some guidance on what to think. If we examine the works of Aristotle and John Stuart Mill, we can begin to understand the complexity of the movie, and further develop our own sense of liability, virtue, and goodness in Batman’s struggle to save Gotham. After analyzing the movie, I believe that much of Batman’s actions can be reviewed and possibly even deemed morally unacceptable, and conclude that some of the true ethical behavior comes from the citizens of Gotham. One of the first ethical questions that arises is the idea of virtue, more specifically the balance of excess and deficiency. In his work, …show more content…
I think it was morally responsible to Knowing the Joker, it may have triggered their own ferry, but it still would have been acting to preserve the greatest good for the greatest amount. Without Batman saving them, this trigger man would have halved the number of deaths, preserving happiness for those who otherwise would have died. Finally, I align myself with Batman in his balancing of excess and deficiency. He had ethical reasons to go after the Joker and acted, sitting out when he knew he could help would have been wrong and using excessive force would have also been unethical. I believe his actions portrayed the right balance, or the attempt at balance that make him an ethical