RE: An uncomfortable ethics question.
September 18, 2010 at 7:19 am
(This post was last modified: September 18, 2010 at 7:23 am by IceSage.)
I'm the type of person who would think outside the box in these situations... like,
Who's forcing me into this scenario?
How exactly do the deaths work? Do I kill them just by thinking it, or saying "I want to save myself" and they instantly drop dead?
Is a person holding these people at gunpoint, or have bombs or something planted in their homes?
Will this reaction be supernatural or magical in means?
Does a higher power or some type of god pick the random people?
Questions like these don't upset me, because there would have to be more to the scenario in order for me to make my decision.
Let's put it this way:
1) If someone is proposing this question to me, how exactly are the 10 other people dying? Is the person proposing this scenario to me going to do the killing? I'm faced with two choices in this case:
A) I could be a hero to 10 random strangers, and say that I'd chose to die, so they may live.
B) I would choose to live, as me making the decision of not falling victim to this person's will / scenario would have no actual effect on those who would die, as I would not be doing the killing. If the person proposing this scenario is out for blood anyway, it's on their hands.
2) If some sort of entity is claiming this will happen, regardless... How is the killing being done?
A1) If some sort of magic or force does it, as a result of my decision to live... Then perhaps I'd chose to die, as it seems things like magic, higher entities, etc exist, so there might be a "god" of some sort, and perhaps I'd exist in some fashion after death, so it wouldn't matter.
A2) But if such things existed, then the 10 people would be a-okay when they die as well, so I could simply choose to live if I wanted to, as they'd still exist in some form.
B) This higher entity is controlling the killing... again, the same scenario as 1B. I'm not the one doing the killing, so I really feel no moral responsibility to sacrifice myself to save them. I could if I wanted to be some sort of hero, but as I value life... I also should have some respect for my own.
We have this preconceived notion, based on our society structure... that putting the needs of others before one's self, is a responsibility we must uphold, or else we'll be looked down upon. However... I believe it's the individual person, every person that exists, are all so precious. Why would I exclude myself from this same respect? Just because it's 10, 20, or 50 people, makes no difference... Why wouldn't I save myself? Do I not have respect for my life as well? I don't wish for them to die, for the same reason that I don't wish for myself to die... Simply put, I value life, and don't want to die, and don't like death.
Is saving yourself really so selfish... Or is it a notion we're morally obliged to hold, due to the views society holds?
Here's an even bigger zinger for you...
The same scenario also works backwards. If you're one of those 10 people to die at the fate of one person, the same can hold true to your own morals as one of those 10 people. As one of those 10 people, who's fate is at the hands of this 1 person... Would you wish for that 1 person to die, so you may live? Is that not equally as selfish?
If the point is that you don't know the 10 people, so it would be easier to accept their loss to save yourself... Wouldn't it be even worse or just as bad that one of those 10 people didn't even realize someone died for them?
If I were one of the 10 people chosen to die, and I end up living at the cost of 1 person... I'd feel pretty bad that the one person died for me. Perhaps in that case, I'd want to die in his place, as I wouldn't think he deserved to die either.
If I simply accept the fact that someone died in my place... I would perhaps feel a bit guilty and selfish that I'm alive, and they are not.
Are you saying that, when you're the one given the choice, that you would be looked down upon if you're the one who bares the responsibility of this choice? Or could the others be equally as responsible, even though they weren't given the choice.
tl;dr: I don't fall for these questions easily, nor do I ever have a simple answer. =P
Who's forcing me into this scenario?
How exactly do the deaths work? Do I kill them just by thinking it, or saying "I want to save myself" and they instantly drop dead?
Is a person holding these people at gunpoint, or have bombs or something planted in their homes?
Will this reaction be supernatural or magical in means?
Does a higher power or some type of god pick the random people?
Questions like these don't upset me, because there would have to be more to the scenario in order for me to make my decision.
Let's put it this way:
1) If someone is proposing this question to me, how exactly are the 10 other people dying? Is the person proposing this scenario to me going to do the killing? I'm faced with two choices in this case:
A) I could be a hero to 10 random strangers, and say that I'd chose to die, so they may live.
B) I would choose to live, as me making the decision of not falling victim to this person's will / scenario would have no actual effect on those who would die, as I would not be doing the killing. If the person proposing this scenario is out for blood anyway, it's on their hands.
2) If some sort of entity is claiming this will happen, regardless... How is the killing being done?
A1) If some sort of magic or force does it, as a result of my decision to live... Then perhaps I'd chose to die, as it seems things like magic, higher entities, etc exist, so there might be a "god" of some sort, and perhaps I'd exist in some fashion after death, so it wouldn't matter.
A2) But if such things existed, then the 10 people would be a-okay when they die as well, so I could simply choose to live if I wanted to, as they'd still exist in some form.
B) This higher entity is controlling the killing... again, the same scenario as 1B. I'm not the one doing the killing, so I really feel no moral responsibility to sacrifice myself to save them. I could if I wanted to be some sort of hero, but as I value life... I also should have some respect for my own.
We have this preconceived notion, based on our society structure... that putting the needs of others before one's self, is a responsibility we must uphold, or else we'll be looked down upon. However... I believe it's the individual person, every person that exists, are all so precious. Why would I exclude myself from this same respect? Just because it's 10, 20, or 50 people, makes no difference... Why wouldn't I save myself? Do I not have respect for my life as well? I don't wish for them to die, for the same reason that I don't wish for myself to die... Simply put, I value life, and don't want to die, and don't like death.
Is saving yourself really so selfish... Or is it a notion we're morally obliged to hold, due to the views society holds?
Here's an even bigger zinger for you...
The same scenario also works backwards. If you're one of those 10 people to die at the fate of one person, the same can hold true to your own morals as one of those 10 people. As one of those 10 people, who's fate is at the hands of this 1 person... Would you wish for that 1 person to die, so you may live? Is that not equally as selfish?
If the point is that you don't know the 10 people, so it would be easier to accept their loss to save yourself... Wouldn't it be even worse or just as bad that one of those 10 people didn't even realize someone died for them?
If I were one of the 10 people chosen to die, and I end up living at the cost of 1 person... I'd feel pretty bad that the one person died for me. Perhaps in that case, I'd want to die in his place, as I wouldn't think he deserved to die either.
If I simply accept the fact that someone died in my place... I would perhaps feel a bit guilty and selfish that I'm alive, and they are not.
Are you saying that, when you're the one given the choice, that you would be looked down upon if you're the one who bares the responsibility of this choice? Or could the others be equally as responsible, even though they weren't given the choice.
tl;dr: I don't fall for these questions easily, nor do I ever have a simple answer. =P
I like the way you think!
...But please stop thinking, it's not you.
...But please stop thinking, it's not you.
