The Dark Knight Ethics - essay PDF

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No éCu g n y 0 4 . 2 3 . 2 0 1 3 PHI30 1

TheDa r kKni g ht ’ sEt hi c s

Th ec o mi cb o o kc h a r a c t e ro ft h eBa t ma ni sa ni n c a r n a t i o no fj u s t i c e , a st h eh e r o t h r i v e st od owh a ti sr i gh t . Th r o u g ho u tt h ema n ya d v e n t u r e st h a tha v eb e e np r o d u c e do ft he d a r kk n i g h t , t h eBa t ma nh a st ofin dwa y st oa c h i e v eh i st a s ko fb r i ng i n gj u s t i c e , wa y st ha t o f t e ni n t e r f e r ewi t ht h el a wo rc o mmo nmo r a lv a l ue s .Th us , t h eBa t ma na p p l i e sh i so wns e to f r u l e sa n ds e n s eo fj u s t i c et od owh a t h ec o n s i de r si sr i g h t , wh i c hgr a n t sh i mt h es t a t uso f o u t l a wa mo n gt h ea u t h or i t i e soft hefic t i o n a lGo t h a m Ci t y , b u ta l s oa l l o wsh i mt oa c h i e v e mo r et h a nt he m. Th ei de aofahe r oa c t i n ga c c o r d i n gt oh i so wnr u l e si nor d e rt od og o o d a r o u n dh i mr e q u i r e sa ni nd i v i d u a lwi t has t r o n gs e to fmo r a l s ,a ni s s uet h a t i sp r i ma r yi nma n y s t or i e so ft h eBa t ma n , a n dp a r t i c u l a r l yi nCh r i s t o ph e rNol a n ’ ss e c o n do p uso fh i sBa t ma n t r i l o g y ,TheDa r kKn i g h t( 2 0 08 ) .I nt h emo v i e , e t h i c sa r ear e c ur r i n gt h e me , f o c u s i n gma i n l y o nh o wt h ema s k e dh e r od e a l swi t he t hi c a l i s s u e sa ndt hed e c i s i o nh ema k e st or e a c hh i sg o a l , b u ta l s oo b s e r v e st her e g u l a rp e o p l e ’ sc h o i c e s . The s ee t h i c a li s s u e sc o n s t i t u t et h ee s s e n c eo f t h ec h a r a c t e ro ft h eBa t ma n , ma k i n gh i ma ni n t e r e s t i n gs u b j e c to fph i l o s o p h i c a ld i s c u s s i o n , a f a c t t h a t No l a nu n d e r s t o o dwh e nwr i t i n gt h emo v i e ,a sh ei l l us t r a t e dt h ep r o b l e me t hi c si n ma n ywa y s . Wewi l le x a mi n eh o wNo l a ne mp ha s i z e dt h ee t h i c a l i s s u e st h a t t h eBa t ma nf a c e s , t h emo r a l c h a l l e n g e st h a tt h ec h a r a c t e ro ft h eJ ok e ri mpo s e st oh i m, a n dho wh e a c c o mmod a t e sh i smo r a l v a l u e st od e a l wi t ha n do v e r c o met ho s ec h a l l e n g e s . Le t usfir s t c o n s i d e rt h ec o n t e x to ft h eBa t ma n ’ sc on di t i on , b e f o r ea n a l y z i n gh i s a c t i o ns . Br u c eWa yn ei sab i l l i o n a i r ewho s ef o r t u nea n dc o mp a n yh e l pr u nt h ec i t yh el i v e si n . Hei sv e r ywe l lc o mmi t t e dt oh i sc i t ya sh ef o l l o wsh i sf a t h e r ’ si d e ol o g y ,ac h a r a c t e rt h a t

a i me da tus i n gt h eb e n e fit so fh i st h r i v i n gc o mp a n yf o rt h epe o p l eo ft hec i t y .Un f o r t u n a t e l y , p r e s e n tGo t h a mCi t yi si n f e s t e dwi t hc r i mi n a l s , c o r r u p t i o na n das u c c e s s f ul mo b , a ni s s u et h e Wa yn eFo u n d a t i o nc a n n o ta c to nd i r e c t l y . Af t e rbe i nge x i l e da n dt r a i n e db yf or e i g nwa r r i o r s ( s e efir s tp a r to ft h et r i l o gy ,Ba t ma nBe g i n s , 20 0 5 ) , Br u c eWa y n ed e c i d e st obe c o met h e Ba t ma na n de x t e n dh i sh e l pf u r t h e rt h a nwh a t h i sc o mp a n yc o u l d , b yfig h t i n gc r i mi n a l sa t n i g h t . Th es e n s eo fd u t yt ha t p u s h e sBr u c eWa y net os ho u l de rt h er e s p o n s i b i l i t yo fpr o t e c t i n g t h ec i t i z e n sa n dp ut o nt h eb l a c ku ni f o r mc o me sf r om t woa s p e c t sofh i sl i f e :t h ed e e p a t t a c hme n th ef e e l sf o rh i sc i t yt h a th eg e t sf r om h i sf a t h e r ,a n dt h ec o n s c i ou s ne s st h a theh a s t h eme a n st oa c c o mp l i s hwh a tn oo n ee l s ec a n , a sab i l l i on a i r ewi t he x c e p t i o n a lt r a i ni n g . Th e s et woe l e me n t ss e th i ma p a r tf r o mt h er e s toft hec i t i z e na n dc a u s et h es e n s eo f r e s p o n s i b i l i t ya n df e e l i n gofd u t yt o wa r d st h ep e o p l eo fGo t ha m. Th i sme n t a l i t yc a na l s ob e e x p l a i ne dwi t hMa r t i nHe i de gg e r ’ si d e ao fe x i s t e n t i a lc o n d i t i o n :t h ep h i l o s o p h e rc l a i mst h a t wea r ea l l“ t h r o wn ”i nt h ewor l d , wh i c h“ i sa si ti s ” , a n dmu s tma k eo fi twh a twec a n , a s e x p l a i ne db yChr i s t o p h e rDr o h a ni nBa t ma na ndPh i l o s o h p y( 2 0 0 8 ) . He l p i n gt h ep e o p l eo f Go t ha mCi t yi na l lwa y spo s s i b l et h u sb e c o me sBr u c eWa y ne ’ se ffo r tt ode fin eh i si d e n t i t y , wh i c hi st or nb e t we e nt hee c c e n t r i cb i l l i o na i r ea n dt h ema s k e dp r o t e c t or , wh ob o t hs h a r et h e s a mei n t e r e s t . Re s p o n s i b i l i t yi sak e ywor dh e r e ;a ss u c hat a s kc a n n o tb ea c h i e v e dwi t ho u ta n i mp or t a n ts e t o fmo r a l s , c o n s i d e r i n gt h ep o we rt ha tWa y n eho l d sa n dt h ema n yd i ffe r e n twa y s t h a ti tc o u l dbeu s e d . Wa y n ec r e a t e st h eBa t ma na sas y mb o lo fJ u s t i c ea n df e a rf o rt h e c r i mi n a l s , amo r a lg o a lt h a ta c c e n t u a t e st hen e c e s s i t yo fac o deo fe t h i c st ob ef o l l o we db yt h e Da r kKn i g h t . Wa y n eu n d e r s t a nd si ta n da c t sa c c or d i n g l y , h eh a so neg o l d e nr u l e :t h eBa t ma n d o e sn o tki l l .Ar u l et h a t h eb e l i e v e si ns od e a r l yt h a th ema k e sh i sa l l i e sa p p l yi twh e n n e c e s s a r y:“ Nog u n s , n oki l l i n g . ”h eo r d e r st oCa t woma ni nTh eDa r kKn i g htRi s e s( 2 0 1 2 ) .

Th eBa t ma n ’ smo r a l sc a nb ec o mp a r e dt oAr i s t o t l e ’ sv i r t u ee t hi c sa sf a ra swh a tt h eBa t ma n s y mb o l i z e s :av i r t u o u sp r o t e c t o r . Th ec h a r a c t e rd o e ss h o wv i r t u e st h a tAr i s t o t l ea s s o c i a t e s wi t ht h emo r a lb e i n g :c o ur a g ea sh es t a nd su pt od a n g e r o u sc r i mi na l s , p r u d e n c ea sh e a c c o mp l i s h e sh i st a s k , j u s t i c ewh i c hi st h ema i np ur p o s eo ft heBa t ma n ’ se x i s t e n c e , a n d me r c ya sh es p e a r st h el i f eo ft h ep e o p l eh ea t t a c k s . Th es e n s eo fd u t yme n t i on e de a r l i e ra l s ob r i n g su st oKa n t i a nd e o n t o l o gi c a l e t hi c s . Wa yn ec a nb ep e r c e i v e da samo r a lp e r s o na c c o r d i n gt oKa n t i a ne t h i c sa sKa n ta r g u e s t h a tama nmu s ta c ta c c o r d i n gt ot h a t f e e l i n go fd ut yi no r d e rt oa c tmo r a l l y . Mo r e o v e r , Ka n t c l a i mst h a tt h emo r a l i t yo fa na c t i o nl a y si nt h ei n t e n t i o nb e h i n dt hea c t i o n ,n o t ne c e s s a r i l yi t s r e s ul t . Th i sa s pe c t i si l l u s t r a t e di nt h emo v i ewh e nt h ed a r kkn i g h tt r i e st or e s c u eb o t hRa c he l Da we sa ndHa r v e yDe n twi t ht h eh e l po ft h ep o l i c e , b u to n l ys a v e sDe n t , p a r t i a l l ys i n c et h e d i s t r i c t a t t o r n e yl o s e sh a l fo fh i sf a c ei na ne x p l o s i o n, e v e n t ua l l yma ki n gh i ms wi t c hf r o m h e r ot ov i l l a i n . Th ea c t i o ni smo r a la c c o r d i n gt oKa n t i a ne t h i c ss i n c et h ei n t e n t i onwa st os a v e b o t hc h a r a c t e r se v e nt h o u g ht h eo u t c o mei s n ’ tq ui t ea si d e a l . Ho we v e r ,t h eBa t ma ni sno ta c o mp l e t efig u r eo fKa n t i a ne t hi c se i t h e r , a sh i sme t h o d sd on o tfit Ka n t ’ smo s ti mp o r t a nt d e fin i t i o no fmo r a l i t y , t h ec a t e g o r i c a li mp e r a t i v e , wh i c hc o n t a i n st h i sf a mo u sma x i m:“ Ac t o n l ya c c o r d i n gt ot h a t ma x i mb ywh i c hy o uc a na l s owi l lt h a ti two u l dbe c o meau n i v e r s a l l a w. ”( Groundwork for the Metaphysics of Morals, 1785) Bruce Wayne does not wish for everybody to act the way he does, he considers his power and resources, and exploits them for the common good. But he sees it as a burden, a responsibility. He shows it at the very beginning of the film, when he handles his “copycats” the same way he does the bad guys, not tolerating people trying to replicate his actions. That is what he expresses when he talks to Alfred about the copycats: “That wasn’t exactly what I had in mind when I said that I wanted to inspire people.” Thus suggesting that he wanted people to be inspired for what he stands

for, justice, not the way he applies it, which is through violence and breaking the law. St i l l , o n ec a ns e eamo r a l c o d et h a ti se x i s t e n ta n dt h a t t h eBa t ma nd o e sn o ts e e mt os t r u g g l e f o l l o wi n gwh e nfig h t i n gl o wk e yc r i mi na l si nGo t h a m Ci t y , b u tb e c o me sq ue s t i o na b l ewh e n c h a l l e n g e db yap o we r f ulv i l l a i n. Th a tr o l eo ft hec h a l l e n g e ri st h eo n eo ft h eJ o k e r . Ama n i a cwh oc o mmi t sc r i me wi t h ou tp e r s o n a li n t e r e s t ,e v i l g e ni u swh oe n j o y sc a u s i n gma y h e ma ndb r i n g i n gc h a o s e v e r y wh e r eh eg o e sa n ddo e ss ov e r ye ffic i e n t l y . Al t h o u ght h eJ ok e rd o e sno t s e e mt oh a v ea p a r t i c u l a rp u r po s ea sAl b e r tPe n n y wo r t hd e s c r i b e shi m: “ So mep e o p l ej u s twa n tt owa t c ht he wor l dbu r n. ”( Th eDa r kKn i g h t ,2 0 0 8 ) , h es e e mst ob ed e d i c a t e dt ob r e a ki n gt h eBa t ma ni c o n a n dWa y n e ’ smo r a li n t e g r i t y . Hefin d swa y st oc h a l l e n g et h ed a r kkn i g ht ’ smo r a l sa n dpu s hh i s e t hi c a ll i mi t s . Wh a tt h eJ o k e rs e e mst os t r i v ef o ri st ob r i n gc h a osa n db r i n gc i v i l i z e dme nt oa Ho b b e s i a n“ s t a t eo fn a t u r e ”b yd e s t r o y i n gs o c i a ls t r u c t u r e sa n dv a l u e s . I nLe v i a t h a n ,Th oma s Ho b b e se x p l a i n st h a tme na r ei n c l i ne dt owa ra g a i n s te v e r y o n ee l s ewh e ni nt h e i rr a wn a t u r a l s t a t e , a n di ti ss o c i a lo r d e rt h a t k e e p st he mo u toft hi ss t a t eo fn a t ur e . Bu tHo b b e sa l s o e x p l a i nsh o wf r a g i l es o c i a lo r d e rc a nbea n dho wme ns o me t i me sf a l lb a c ki nt h es t a t eo f n a t u r ewh e nt h eb a s i cr u l e so fs o c i a lo r d e ra r eb r ok e n . Th a twe a k n e s so fs o c i a lor d e ri s p r e c i s e l ywh a tt h eJ o k e rs e e mst ob ea i mi n gf o r . Al lh i sc r i me ss e e mt ob ed i r e c t e dt o wa r d b r e a ki n gt h es o c i a lo r d e ri no r de rt os h o wt h eHo bbe s i a nn a t u r eo fme n .Heg i v e sac l u eo fh i s Ho b b e s i a nv i e wo fh uma n i t yi nt hei n t e r r o g a t i o ns c e n e :“ Se e ,t h e i rmo r a l s , t h e i rc o d e , i t ’ sa b a dj o k e . Dr o p p e da t t h efir s ts i g no ft r o u b l e . Th e y ’ r eo n l ya sg o o da st h ewo r l da l l o wst he m t ob e . Iwi l ls h o wy o u , wh e nt h ec h i p sa r edo wn , t he s ec i v i l i z e dp e o pl e ,t h e y ’ l le a te a c ho t h e r . ” Ani d e at h a t h ed o e sp u tt op r a c t i c el a t e ro n , wh e nh ema n a g e st ot u r nt h ec o p sa g a i ns ton e a n o t h e r , u s i n gf o r c ea n dc o r r u p t i o n .

Th eBa t ma nh a v i n gad i ffe r e n ts e t o fmo r a l st h a nt h er e gu l a rc i t i z e n s , a n db e i n g “ o v e r ”t h el a wi nac e r t a i nwa y , r e p r e s e n t sac h a l l e n g et ot h eJ o k e rwh owa n t st ob r e a kh i s mo r a lc o d e . Hefir s ts u c c e e d swh e nh ef o r c e sh i mi n t ol e t t i n gp e o p l ed i ei n s t e a do fg i vi n gi n a n dr e v e a l h i si d e n t i t y , wh i c hc o me sc l o s et ob r e a ki n gt h eBa t ma n ’ sg o l d e nr u l eo fn o tki l l i n g a n di sa c c e n t u a t e db yt h ei nn o c e n c eo ft h ep e o p l emu r d e r e dd e s pi t eh i sp o t e n t i a la bi l i t yt o s a v et h e mb yg i v i n gi na n da b i d i n gt ot h eJ o k e r ’ swi l l . Bu tWa y n ek n o wst h a tgi v i n gi nwi l l n o ts t o pt heJ o k e rf r o m ki l l i n gi n n o c e n tp e o p l ea ndd e c i d e st of o c u so ns t o p pi n gh i m.Bu tt h i s fir s tc h a l l e n g et ot h eBa t ma n ’ smo r a l si ss oi mp o r t a n tt h a ti tc a u s e sWa yn et oa c t ua l l yd e c i de h ei sn o te n t i t l e dt os h o u l d e rt h er e s p o ns i b i l i t yoft hed e a t ho fi n n o c e n t sa ndc h o o s e st og i v e h i ms e l fi na st h eJ o k e rr e q u e s t e d , a na c t i o nt h a ti sc o u n t e r e db yHa r v e yDe n tp r e t e n d i n gt ob e t h eBa t ma nt oa l l o wWa y n emor et i met os t o pt h eJ o ke r , at wi s tt h a ta l s oe n a b l e st heJ o k e rt o p u s hh i sc h a l l e n g e sf ur t h e r , wi t hmo r et wi s t e dpl a nst of o r c et h eBa t ma no u to fh i smo r a l o b l i g a t i o n s . Wh i l emo s tv i l l a i nst r yt od e s t r o yt h eBa t ma nb yp h y s i c a l l ye l i mi n a t i n ghi m, t h e J o k e rs e e mst oa i ma tde s t r o y i n gt h es ymb o lo fJ u s t i c et h a ti st h eBa t ma nb yma k i n gh i m c h a n g eh i sv i r t u o uswa y s ,a nun p r e c e d e n t e dc h a l l e n g ef ort heh e r owh ofin d st het a s ko f s t op p i n gt h eJ ok e rwh i l es t a y i n gt r u et oh i smo r a l sv e r yd i ffic u l t .Be c a u s eo ft h eJ o k e r ’ se vi l p l a n s , t h eBa t ma nfind sh i ms e l fu s i n gme t h od sh ewo ul dpr o ba b l yn o ta p p r o v eof , i no r d e rt o g e tt oh i ma n ds t o ph i m. I nt h es c e n ei nwh i c ht h eBa t ma ni nt e r r o g a t e sMa r o n i , amo bl e a d e r a s s o c i a t e dwi t ht h eJ o k e r ,s ho wsh o wt h ef r u s t r a t i o na n dn e c e s s i t yt og e tt ot h eJ o k e rp u s h e s t h eBa t ma n ’ sl i mi t si nt h ewa yh eo p e r a t e s , a sh edo e s n ’ th e s i t a t et od r opt h eMa fio s of r o mt h e t o po fab u i l d i n g , p ot e n t i a l l yb r e a ki n ghi sl e g s , i no r d e rt og e ti n f o r ma t i o nf r o mh i m. An ot h e r g o ode x a mp l ei st h efic t i o na ld e v i c eWa y n eu s e st o wa r dt h ee n do ft hemo v i et oc a t c ht h e J o k e r :af o r mo fs u p e rc o mp u t e rt h a t us e sa l lt h ec e l l p h o ne si nGo t ha m Ci t ya ss o na r ,

a l l o wi n ga c c e s st oav i e wo fe v e r yc i t y ’ sc o r n e ra nde v e r yp h o nec o n v e r s a t i o n .Th ev e r y e x i s t e n c eo ft h ema c h i n es y mb o l i z e st h emo r a lbo u n da r i e st ha tt heBa t ma ni sf o r c e dt oc r o s s i nor d e rt or e a c hh i sg o a l , a si ti n t r u d e st h ep r i v a t el i v e so fe v e r ys i n g l ec i t i z e n , a n ds t a r t sa n e t hi c a ld i s c u s s i o nwi t hWa y n e ’ sa s s o c i a t eLu c i u sFo xwh oc a l l si t“ u ne t hi c a l , d a n g e r o us ” , “ Th i si swr o n g . ”( Th eDa r kKn i g ht ,20 0 8 ) . Fo xfin a l l ya c c e p t st ou s ei ti no r d e rt ohe l pt h e Ba t ma n , b u tma k e si tc l e a rt h a thewi l lr e s i gna ndn o tr e t u r na sl on ga st h ema c h i n ee x i s t s . Th i si sa n o t h e re x a mp l eofBa t ma n ’ smo r a l sc l a s h i n gwi t ho t h e r s ’ , b u ti nt hi sc a s e , i ti ss t r e s s e db yt heh u g ec h a l l e n g et h a tt h eJ o k e rr e p r e s e n t st ot h eBa t ma n .I no r d e rt o o v e r c o met h ec h a l l e n g e st h a tt h eJ o ke ri mp o s e s , Wa y n efin d sh i ms e l fob l i g a t e dt oa p p l yt h e u t i l i t a r i a nmo r a l s . Al t h o ug hwes a wt ha t t heBa t ma nwa ss o me wh a to faKa n t i a nfig u r ei nt he wa yh i si nt e n t i o nma k e sh i sa c t i o n smo r a l , h ea l s oa d o p t sac o n s e q u e n t i a l i s tb e h a v i or , wh i c h s u g g e s t st h a t t her i gh t ne s so fa c t i on sa r et ob ej udg e db yt h e i rc o n s e q u e n c e so n l y . J e r e my Be nt h a m, ma i nfig u r eoft heu t i l i t a r i a np h i l o s o p h y , wr i t e s :“ Ont h eon eha n dt h es t a n d a r do f r i gh ta n dwr o n g , ont h eo t h e rt h ec h a i no fc a us e sa n de ffe c t s , a r ef a s t e n e dt ot h e i rt h r o n e . Th e yg o v e r nu si na l l wedo ,i na l lwes a y , i na l lwet h i n k ”( Th ePr i nc i p l e so fMo r a l sa nd Le g i s l a t i o n, 1 78 1 ) . Be n t h a m’ sp h i l o s o p h ys t r e s s e st hei d e at h a tt h emo r a l i t yo fa na c t i o ni st o b ej u d g e do ni t se ffic i e nc y ,o nt h er e s u l to ft h ea c t i on . Ut i l i t a r i a n i s mi sba s e do nt h ei d e ao f t h e“ g r e a t e s tg o o df ort hegr e a t e s tn u mb e r . ”ap h i l o s op h yt h a two u l dj u s t i f yt h eq u e s t i o n a bl e me a n st h a tt h eBa t ma nu s e st og e tt oh i sg o a lwh i c hi st os t o pt h eJ o k e r . Al lt h emo r a l l y u n s t a b l ea c t i o n st h a tt h eh e r ot a k e sa r ed i r e c t e dt o wa r dt h i su l t i ma t eg o a l ,wh i c hi samo r a l o n e . Th i si same n t a l i t yt h a ta l wa y ss e e mst ol a yi nt heBa t ma n ’ sa c t i o ns , wh e no n ec o n s i de r s t h ea mo u nto fs i d ev i e wmi r r o r sh eb r e a k swi t hhi sba t p od , a n di nab r o a d e rwa yt h eg e n e r a l ma t e r i a ld a ma g e st h a th ec a u s e sa r o u n dt h ec i t ywh e nc h a s i n gc r i mi n a l s , a c c e p t i ngt h ec o s to f b e c o mi n ga nou t l a wt oa c c omp l i s hwh a tn oo t h e rc o ul d .Bu ti nt hi spa r t i c u l a rc a s e , h et a k e s

t h eu t i l i t a r i a nme n t a l i t yt oan e wl e v e l b ya d di n gt h eh i g h l yu n e t h i c a lme t h o d st ot h ema t e r i a l d a ma g e , wi t ha c t i o n sme n t i o n e de a r l i e rs u c ha st h ec r e a t i o noft h eul t i ma t es p y i n gma c h i n e . “ Th ee n dj us t i f yt h eme a n s . ” Ho we v e r , s u c hme t h od sa r eno tt yp i c a lo ft h eBa t ma n ’ sa c t i on s ,a n da r e e x c e p t i o n st h a th eh a st or e s ol v et ob yl a c kofc h o i c e , f a c i n gt h eJ o k e r ’ ss u c c e s si nh i se ffo r t s t op u s hh i sl i mi t si no r d e rt ou l t i ma t e l yd e s t r o yt h ej us ti c o no ft h eBa t ma n . Wa y n e a c kno wl e d g e st hewr on g n e s so fh i sme a n sa l t h o u g hh ec o n s i d e r st he mn e c e s s a r yi nt h eg i v e n c i r c u ms t a n c e s . Wh e nt h eJ ok e ri sc a u g h t , t h eBi gBr o t h e r l i k ema c h i net h a th ec r e a t e ds e l f d e s t r u c t s . Hi sme t h o d se v e n t u a l l yl e a dt ot h ea r r e s to ft h eJ o k e r ,e n d i n ga l lt h ema dn e s st ha t l e dh i mt os u c he x t r e me s , wh i c hc a nb ec o n s i d e r e da s“ t h eg r e a t e s tg o o df o rt h egr e a t e s t n u mb e r ”a sh eu l t i ma t e l ys e c u r e st h ep e o p l eo fGo t ha mf r o mt h eJ o k e r ’ se v e r l a s t i n gt e r r o r i s m. Th i sr e s ul tl e a d sust oc o ns i d e rt h eBa t ma na sa ne x a mp l eo fe t hi c a la l t r u i s m, wh i c hi saf o r m o fc o n s e q u e n t i a l i s ma n ds u g g e s t st h a tmo r a la c t i o n sl e a dt og o o dc o n s e q u e n c e sf o ro t he r sb u t n o tf o ro n e s e l f . Au g u s t eComt ewr i t e s :“ [ The ]s o c i a lp o i n to fv i e wc a n n o tt ol e r a t et h en o t i o n o fr i g h t s , f o rs uc hn o t i o nr e s t so ni nd i v i d u a l i s m.Wea r eb o r nu n d e ral o a do fo b l i g a t i o n so f e v e r yki nd , t oo u rp r e d e c e s s o r s , t oo u rs u c c e s s o r s , t oo u rc o n t e mp o r a r i e s . Af t e ro u rb i r t h t h e s eo bl i g a t i o n si n c r e a s eo ra c c u mu l a t e , f ori ti ss o met i meb e f o r ewec a nr e t u r na n y s e r v i c e . . . . Th i s[ " t ol i v ef oro t h e r s " ] , t hed e fin i t i v ef o r mu l ao fh u ma nmo r a l i t y , g i v e sad i r e c t s a n c t i o ne x c l us i v e l yt oo u ri n s t i n c t so fbe n e v o l e nc e , t h ec ommo ns ou r c eo fh a pp i ne s sa n d d u t y . [ Ma nmu s ts e r v e ]Huma n i t y , wh o s ewea r ee nt i r e l y . "( Catéchisme Positiviste, 1852), a quote that defines precisely the ideology followed by the Batman in his actions, as he is puts himself at the service of Gotham’s people in every way possible, sacrificing his body and wealth, and even his morals as we’ve demonstrated. This idea of sacrifice out of altruism becomes obvious at the end of the movie, when the Wayne decides to take the blame for

Harvey Dent’s death, thus sacrificing the symbolic image of the Batman as a fig...