Jedi Philosophy
The Jedi are fundmentally a service order. No two Jedi will disagree that their purpose is to serve and protect the sentients of the galaxy. Where one will find a difference of opinion is in how, precisely, a Jedi ought to go about fulfilling that purpose.
Major Schools
Minor Schools
The Traditionalist School (adapted from Star Wars Roleplaying Game: Revised Core Rulebook)
The Jedi Code
The Traditionalists hold sway in the Council, and in the teachings of those raised at the central Temple on Coruscant. Theirs is the ideal of the passionless and compassionate warrior-poet so ingrained in the popular understanding of what a Jedi should be. The Traditionalists teach the most familiar form of the Jedi Code, recognizable to Jedi and non-Jedi alike:
There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
There is no death; there is the Force.
"Consider," as the catechism goes, "the strictures as rungs of a ladder. Until your feet are planted firmly on the lowest rung, you cannot climb higher. It is the goal of the Jedi to climb to the top of this ladder, that we may see clearly with the insight of the Force."
The first stricture, "There is no emotion; there is peace," is clearly a contrast. A Jedi is to separate the turmoil and confusion of emotion from the clarity of meditation, the first step in controlling oneself so that one may control the Force--or be controlled by it.
However, a peace born not of meditation, but of ignorance of some factor that would otherwise lead a Jedi to an emotional reaction is no better than the emotion itself. Hence the second stricture: "There is no ignorance; there is knowledge." Jedi are enjoined to seek out full knowledge of every situation in which they find themselves embroiled, that they may avoid errors in judgement.
This, however, may lead Jedi to become engrossed. Obsessive focus clouds the mind, leading to the formulation of the third stricture: "There is no passion; there is serenity." The goal of the Jedi is to know a thing as objectively as the Force knows it.
A desire for obectivity can lead to passivity, and the nihilistic argument that the only true objectivity lies in nonexistence--death, but this is denied by the very nature of the universe. "There is no death; there is the Force." The Force knows all things objectively. It is serene. It is not swayed by emotion. Thus are Padawans enjoined to "climb the ladder"--to act emotionlessly, knowledgeably, and serenely, and consequently be certain that they are acting with will of the Force.
The Nine Precepts
To know that they are following the will of the Force in a chaotic and fast-moving universe, Jedi are encouraged to follow the Nine Precepts. When a situation calls for a quick decision, care in abiding by the Precepts will ensure that Jedi are already aware of the will of the Force.
By regularly examining their motivations, Jedi may be certain that they are not allowing emotion, ignorance, or passion to intrude upon clarity. Jedi without the time to meditate may more easily be misguided, and Jedi who refuse to meditate may already know that their motivations are not pure, and are thus lying to themselves.
Wise Jedi strive to remember that there is always something more to learn about the Force. The Force reveals itself to those who have the desire and knowledge to see it. To continue to grow, a Jedi should train each day.
Jedi can exist in this universe because the Force exists. But the Jedi Order needs more: It requires loyalty. Jedi should not only be loyal to one another, and should not squabble or fight, but more importantly, Jedi must act in accordance with the wishes of their Masters, who must in turn abide by the the wishes of the Jedi Council. This is not a matter of seniority, but rather of understanding the will of the Force.
As long as Jedi do not act in their own interests and observe the Code, they are obeying the will of the Force. Jedi can and should offer advice to those who need it, but it is not incumbent upon Jedi to convince anyone to follow their advice. From a certain point of view, Jedi are not being dishonest if they allow people to believe what they wish to believe.
When Jedi serve the Force, they may employ deception, subterfuge, misdirection, and even fraud, if they do so with a righteous aim. Although most sentient beings have a distaste for such practices, the Force is without such emotions. Do not confuse this with "moral flexibility." Jedi do what needs to be done, but Jedi are not above the law.
Jedi are not enforcers of morality. While Jedi can bring or restore order and justice, they cannot themselves sit in judgment of others. The galaxy is full of cultures that no one Jedi can completely understand. More dangerously, judgement leads to vengeance, and vengeance leads to the Dark Side.
This is easy to understand, though not to practice. Ought a murderer be freed, or killed? Jedi must know the will of the Force. No moral decision can be made hastily, save when lives are threatened by inaction. Still, while not judges, Jedi can and should be mediators, since mediation leads to balance.
It is sometimes necessary for Jedi to practice discretion. Jedi are suffered throughout the galaxy, despite their facility with the Force, because they do not actively interfere with the lives of the common people. Jedi stand for order and justice, and these qualities do not begin with the misdeeds of the few. The goal of the Jedi is to create and preserve an atmosphere in which justice may flourish, rather than to create justice themselves.
Many believe that courage is the opposite of fear. Jedi should strive for the absence of fear. What remains may then be described as "courage," and Jedi will know whether it is best to stand their ground, or to flee, or to offer a truce, and be free to act upon this knowledge. As Master Hale once put it: "Sometimes, you run."
Jedi do not embrace combat, yet neither do they shy from it when it becomes necessary. Best to avert injury with a word, or to finish combat without killing, but Jedi end fights as quickly and mercifully as possible--even if this means killing. The Force will let Jedi know when they have no other options, whether it be to engage, or, once engaged, to kill.
Jedi should develop skills and talents which do not rely on the Force. To call upon the Force is not always the solution, and to do so when better choices are available skirts the Dark Side. Jedi are guided by the Force, but should never be dependent upon it.
Other schools of thought are best defined by where they differ from the Traditionalist perspective.
Progressives believe that the rigid monastic style that is espoused by the Traditionalists is wrong in a modern, dynamic, galactic society. It leads to the Jedi being unable to grasp the issues that are of importance to the people around them and their separation from society. Once the Jedi are separate from society, they reason, society will begin to distrust them and may eventually turn on the Order. What Progressives do to distinguish themselves is usually subtly different from the Traditionalists, but is often viewed with suspicion by the larger sect. A good view of the differences in opinion can be found in J'ror Tholin's interpretation of the Jedi Code. Instead of the descriptions of the strictures as listed above, they tend to present a more nuanced approach.
Otherwise, Progressives tend to be more involved in society. They have jobs outside of the order, they send their students on "internships" to spend time with non-Force Sensitives?, they have relationships and families, and they try to stay involved in the society they watch. While the Traditionalists see these activities as frequently tempting the Jedi towards the Dark Side, the Progressives see it as a way of understanding that which they are trying to preserve, while allowing it (and themselves) to grow and flourish at the same time. Traditionalists cite the frequency of fallen Jedi and Potentium Heresy events in these situations, Progressives cite the growing unease and distrust of the population towards Force use. Of course the Traditionalists say the unease is due to the relative frequency of Dark Force Users and repeat their earlier statistics. If anything, however, the Progressives focus more on ensuring the student is certain they are serving a greater good and preserving life in their actions.
The Progressive Jedi Code
The first step to understanding the Jedi Code is to understand that it is not about contradiction.
The second step to understanding the Jedi Code is to understand that it must be observed all at once, or not at all.
The third and most important step to understanding the Jedi Code is to understand that it is completely wrong.
- Master Krashnacht, Praconis Minor Praxeum
Progressives understand that while the code may list polar opposites, it is not about the contradictions and struggles of the average Jedi. Where there is Life and the Force, there is emotion, ignorance, passion, and death. But even in seas of turbulent emotion, one can find an inner calm and quiet the seas around oneself if you need to. Even the dullest and most ignorant among us can have brilliant insights. Passion can be used for Light and Dark alike. Even in death, there is life, and therefore the Force. All of these must be balanced; there are no rungs on which to stand. "A Jedi must fly or they will Fall" is a common saying among Masters dealing with students learning this aspect of the Code. And most importantly, the student must realize that the Jedi code is not the end-all source of morality. It only suggests where to focus the balancing act between denial of the essence of living and giving in to the baser urges.
This is often confusing to Padawan who find emotional comfort in the stricter teachings of the Traditionalists or all too often partially fall and never regain the nerve to face the galaxy except behind their emotional barriers of being a Jedi first, last, and only.
The Immersionist school is a holdover from a time before the Nine Precepts were strictly encoded, and does not hold with ideals of the Precept of Dependence. Immersionists do not believe that there is any use of the Force which is spurious, as long as such use is in keeping with the Code. They teach that the deeper one falls into the Force, the more natural and effortless its use, leading to the sardonic observation by an anonymous Progressive that Immersionism is largely indistinguishable from laziness. In other regards, this school is identical to Traditionalism.
The Isolationists cloister themselves, or would like to. This school teaches that only Masters are of sufficient insight into the Force to move about the galaxy enacting its will. In practice, since no member of this school holds a position of power within the Order, it is a largely academic distinction. Padawans and Knights with Isolationist leanings get sent out into the galaxy on the business of the Order regardless of their philosophical preferences. It is hard to say whether the Oligarchy will result is the extinction of this school, or in a backlash which leads to strengthening it.