What does this good mind mean? And balanced mind?
Context:(From 'Raising Steam' by Terry Pratchett)
Ardent had to be aware of the penalty for those who took up arms against the Low King. Despite everything, there must have been a good mind there, one which could have been useful to dwarfkind as a whole and might yet be useful, even if right now it couldn’t tell pyrites from gold. It was no secret that the most highly balanced minds sometimes, well, overbalanced.
Question:
1. What does good mind mean in the context? Is it Ardent who has this kind of good mind?
2. 'Couldn't tell pyrites from gold' here means you can't tell good deeds(for the welfare of all the dwarfs, even in a wronged way) from bad deeds(take up arms against the dwarf king), yes?
3. What is a 'balanced mind'? Does that have anything to do with emotional control or balance of powers?

Question

What does this good mind mean? And balanced mind?
Context:(From 'Raising Steam' by Terry Pratchett)
Ardent had to be aware of the penalty for those who took up arms against the Low King. Despite everything, there must have been a good mind there, one which could have been useful to dwarfkind as a whole and might yet be useful, even if right now it couldn’t tell pyrites from gold. It was no secret that the most highly balanced minds sometimes, well, overbalanced.
Question: 
1. What does good mind mean in the context? Is it Ardent who has this kind of good mind?  
2. 'Couldn't tell pyrites from gold' here means you can't tell good deeds(for the welfare of all the dwarfs, even in a wronged way) from bad deeds(take up arms against the dwarf king), yes? 
3. What is a 'balanced mind'? Does that have anything to do with emotional control or balance of powers?

Answer

1. To me it sounds like the author is saying that not everyone who rebelled can be bad. Some of them must have had their own reasons for rebelling.

2. Yes, I think your right. I read it as they had good ideas and meant well, but tried to achieve their goals in the wrong way.

3. I read it as, even with good intentions people can still make mistakes. Even a balanced mind (a sane mind,  a mind attempting to make a reasonable decision) can still make the wrong decision or end up choosing the wrong side. That doesn't mean the person inherently bad or evil though.

Overall, the passage in my opinion, is saying that Ardent needs to take into consideration that not everyone is a bad person for rebelling and let that fact have some influence on deciding the penalty for them.

Answer

This usage of "mind" is specific to this work of fiction.  Having not read more of the story, it is difficult to explain the usage.

"couldn't tell pyrites from gold" simply means that the judgment of the mind cannot be trusted.  Pyrite and gold look similar but are very different in value.

Again, "balanced mind" is specific to this context and I can't explain it from this short segment.

Answers · 2

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