An uncomfortable ethics question.

[Minimalist]

I would definitely choose myself.

The others are probably religious morons, anyway. No use to anyone.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

Are our own lives worth as much as 10 people? How would you answer the question?

Yours? No.

Mine? Absolutely. Only ten? Pshaw. An indefinite number. And no, I'm not being at all flippant.

Would I allow everyone I love to die to save my own life? Probably,with deep regret and guilt.


As this a hypothetical question, I've answered as honestly as I can,stating what I think I'd do,even what I'd like to think I'd do.. In reality, I have no idea.

[Dotard]

Forced to chose the death of 10 random people or the death of myself?

Phffttt.... That's an easy one. The ten people would have to die.

Why? Because I am me. I do care a bit about the ten, I could care less about them. I COULD care less, I do care a bit. However I care about myself more. In the end, it's me who matters most to me.

I can't spread my highly valued genes if I am dead.

I got an even better uncomfortable ethics question for you.

Here in the United States if an adult has sexual relations with a 13 year old you can be jailed and will be labeled for life as a "Child Molester". You would be considered immoral, a 'sick-o'. Some would even advocate a death penalty.

Now if you were to move to the country of Senegal, where the legal age of consent is 13 and had sexual relations with a 13 year old, are you still a "child molester"? Are you still immoral? A sick-o?

Or what about England? I hears the legal age of consent is 16 over there. Here in the U.S. you are looking at jail time and ostracization from the society. I would be an immoral, unethical pig to have such a relation with a 16 year old. What if I were to move to England? Would I still be an immoral, unethical pig? Why?

Morality and ethics are subjective. So while my answer to your ethics question may seem repugnant to you, it is subjectively reasonable to me. I live, I reproduce, universe keeps on spinning. If I die, then from my perspective the universe just ended. It stopped spinning.

[downbeatplumb]

[leo-rcc]

[gargantuan]

For me, it depends who it is, and how I would die. Maybe I would, maybe I wouldn't. I can definitely envisage situations in which I would sacrifice myself, but if it was a question of me enduring a slow and painful death to save 10 anonymous strangers, then.... well, they're shit out of luck.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

[A Theist]

If the random choices were not my children or other family members, I would not choose to die in the place of strangers.
I'm not emotionally tied to strangers.

[Oldandeasilyconfused]

If the random choices were not my children or other family members, I would not choose to die in the place of strangers.
I'm not emotionally tied to strangers.

What happened to "love thy neighbour as thyself"?

Cherrypick much?

[gargantuan]

I was more surprised by a Pentecostal accepting death on anyones behalf, related or not. From what I know about the afterlife as told by the Pentecostal that hangs around outside my tube stop, it's not going to be much of a picnic for anyone.