Given below is Erin's essay on the Ethics of Potioneering which was required for Lesson 1. There is an explanation, a detailed analysis and her personal opinion on the following:

• What is ethics and how is it related to brewing?
• Ethics of using love potions
• Ethics of using Veritaserum
• Ethics of using Polyjuice potion
• Ethics with regard to gathering of ingredients

Potioneering is a precise science, requiring focus,
patience, skill and endurance. It enables a wizard or a witch to transcend the
limitations of spell-casting and to venture into an area where proper
combinations of different substances can result in various powerful compounds,
or potions. These potions can be used in various different ways, for good or
for evil. With such a wide range of potions that can be created, it is no
wonder that the question of ethics in potioneering comes up. Ethics in any
context are rules based on what society deems as right or wrong, and what
befits a proper human conduct in any sphere.

There are various debates that could spring up regarding not
just the ethical use of potions, but also in the ingredients used for creating
them. With the development of newer and more potent potions, the ethics of
their usage has to be more carefully considered. This is in contrast to the
earlier times when potions were used considerately due to their limited supply and
potion masters being few in number. Nowadays, it is common to find people with
a large supply of potions in their homes or buying dangerous potions from shady
dealers, as they don’t care about the repercussions of using such potions, or
just don’t heed the values placed down by society.

For instance, love potions are used widely, especially among
teenagers. These potions don’t create love, but rather an infatuation for
another person. Depending on the strength of the potion, the effects can vary.
There aren’t any rules banning their usage, although organizations can decide
to do so within the premises. For example, love potions are banned at Hogwarts.
So if love potions only cause infatuation, then they aren’t that dangerous, are
they? As mentioned before, there are varying potency to love potions. Also, the
frequency at which a potion is administered to someone can also result in
prolonged attraction. The problem with such potions is that it manipulates a
person’s mind and emotions, to develop an attraction for someone they might
even hate! A powerful potion can cause a deep obsession as well, which can lead
to other consequences for both persons involved. The usage of such potions can
also be compared to the usage of the Imperius curse, since both of them
basically involve controlling another person’s mind and actions.

I personally frown upon the usage of love potions. I think
that even the person administering the potion should realise that such “love”
is borne out of manipulation and coercion, and isn’t actually true. This can
also result in a lot of negative effects on the mind of the person who was made
to take the potion, in case he/she isn’t continually administered it and falls
‘out of love’. For example, if a woman is made to take the potion, and under
its influence, gets impregnated, but then later comes out of the effects of the
potion, then her actions during the time of coercion would lead to dire
consequences on her mental health. It could even be considered as rape. So I
think that it is unethical to use this potion, and it’s always better to find
love with someone willing to share that feeling.

Another potion that can be taken as an example of a
continuous ethical debate is Veritaserum, or the truth-telling potion. A mere
three drops of the potion can have a person singing like a canary and spouting
their deepest secrets to the questioner. However, it is not completely reliable
as it can be resisted by taking an antidote or through Occlumency. So a lot of
times, when the potion is administered in court, the council can choose whether
or not to accept the accused’s words as true. So there’s an ethical dilemma
that arises here. First of all, the potion forces the person to tell what
he/she believes is the truth. Secondly, even after administering such a potion,
the questioner may or may not choose to believe what the person says. So is it
right to coerce a person in such a way?

My personal opinion is that at times when the Law
Enforcement is dealing with dangerous criminals, Veritaserum would be necessary
to get answers that may affect the Wizarding community. The only other way to
deal with such cases is to use Legilimency but if that’s not done properly, it
could lead to severe problems on the person’s mind. But Veritaserum might
sometimes be used in other situations as well, such as questioning people
within a department to filter out the untrustworthy ones. In such cases, I
think that the people should be made to sign a form which contains a list of
the questions that the department head or interviewer is going to ask. In this
way, it would be a willing administration of the potion that wouldn’t go beyond
the questions that were meant to be asked. This is one delicate situation where
there is a thin line between ethical and unethical, and at times, people resort
to unethical methods in the name of justice, even though it might not be right.
 

Another example that can be taken is the Polyjuice Potion.
This potion is used to enable a person to take the identity of another. The
ethical issues with this potion lie in the reasons for which it is used. For
instance, Barty Crouch Jr. used this potion to impersonate Alastor Moody and
aid in Voldemort’s plan to kill Harry Potter. This is definitely a misuse of
such a dangerous potion. But then again, what is a correct use of such a
potion? Suppose person A takes up the identity of person B with person B’s
permission. Person A will still be tricking the people whom he/she will
encounter or interact with during the time of impersonation. So here, there’s
the question of whether or not it is ethical to mislead or lie to someone,
which is a common ethical debate even in the muggle world.

In my opinion, the polyjuice can be used at times for a good
cause. For example, it was used by the members of the Order to impersonate
Harry Potter when they transported him away from Privet Drive. In such a case,
they were trying to save him from Voldemort’s clutches, and thereby from death,
so no one can question the ethicality of using the Polyjuice potion. The
members of the Order were willing to put themselves in the way of danger as
well, so according to me, this was one instance where the Polyjuice was used
wisely. Another instance of the Polyjuice being used is when Harry and Ron
impersonated Crabbe and Goyle in order to question Malfoy. According to me,
this was unethical of them, no matter how noble their actions may seem. They
were merely twelve years old and acting on a whim, broke into the Slytherin
common room and coerced answers from Malfoy by making him think that they were
his friends. Not only did they do that, they also obtained hairs from Crabbe
and Goyle without them knowing. Such actions are rash and according to me, not
something that should be followed.

The question of whether something is ethical or not arises
not only in the brewing or administering of potions, but it also arises with
regard to the gathering of ingredients used in them. Especially when it comes
to gathering them from magical creatures, the status of the creature isn’t
taken into consideration. For instance, Runespoor eggs are used widely in
potions. But does anyone think about what this magical serpent goes through
when it finds out that its eggs are missing? They are quite intelligent magical
creatures and I’m sure that they would be able to comprehend that their eggs
are missing. In my opinion, this is an unethical gathering of ingredients, for
unlike Ashwinders, Runespoors actually live after laying their eggs. I also
agree with the common notion of the magical community that killing a unicorn
for its blood is completely wrong, especially as it’s such a pure magical
animal. There is also the blatant disapproval of gathering ingredients that are
fatal if administered to a human being. I of course, agree that the taking of
another’s life is wrong. But if the ingredient itself can be used for a potion
that is not a poison or something harmful and is not used for the wrong
reasons, then I don’t think gathering the ingredient is an issue itself.
Although it won't stop people who don't mind breaking the rules, the gathering
of such ingredients can be regulated by the Ministry of Magic.