ARTS REVIEW
ARTS REVIEW
The ethical implications of A Clockwork Orange are profound. The novel raises difficult questions about the nature of morality, free will, and the role of violence in society. It also challenges us to think about the potential dangers of using technology to control human behaviour. Burgess’s novel is a must-read for anyone interested in ethics, philosophy, or human nature. It is a complex and thought- provoking book that will stay with you long after you finish reading it.
A Clockwork Orange DAN RIDDLE
Anthony Burgess’s dystopian novel A Clockwork Orange is a discerning and thought-provoking exploration of the ethical implications of free will, morality, and violence in a technologically advanced society. Published in 1962, the novel’s central themes remain relevant today, as we tackle the debate on what can influence or manipulate human free will. The novel’s protagonist, Alex DeLarge, is a charismatic and intelligent young man who is also a violent and sadistic criminal. After undergoing a controversial new treatment for criminals that uses classical conditioning as aversion therapy to condition them to feel extreme nausea and discomfort at the thought of violence, Alex is transformed into a calm, gentle person. However, he is also left unable to make his own moral choices, essentially becoming
a “clockwork orange”, a person who is programmed to behave in a certain way. Burgess’s exploration of free will in ‘A Clockwork Orange’ is both nuanced and profound. He suggests that free will is essential to morality, as it allows us to choose between good and evil. However, he also acknowledges that our free will is constrained by our biology, our environment, and our social conditioning. Alex’s transformation after his intense treatment raises the question of whether it is possible to be moral without free will, and if he can truly be a moral agent if he is programmed to act how he does. The complexity of the levels of violence can be seen throughout the book, from the sadistic to self-defence, provoking the question of how morally justifiable violence can ever be.
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