Interesting question my Dad asked me...
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Interesting question my Dad asked me...
If you were in a building held by terrorists and you had to kill somebody or the terrorists would kill 5 other people, what would you do?
If you saw a train hurtling towards a group of children on a railway line, oblivious to this, and the train was unable to stop but you had the option to switch the train's path so it only killed one kid, would you change it?
If you knew that you could sacrifice your life to save several others from a certain death (idk, can't be bothered to think of a scenario) would you sacrifice yourself?
Then how come we don't just kill a random person and donate his body organs to help save people who desperately need them to stay alive? Think of the lives that could be saved! Surely this would be the moral thing to do?
I couldn't really think of an answer. I mean of course that would be wrong but it's sort of a good point isn't it?
If you saw a train hurtling towards a group of children on a railway line, oblivious to this, and the train was unable to stop but you had the option to switch the train's path so it only killed one kid, would you change it?
If you knew that you could sacrifice your life to save several others from a certain death (idk, can't be bothered to think of a scenario) would you sacrifice yourself?
Then how come we don't just kill a random person and donate his body organs to help save people who desperately need them to stay alive? Think of the lives that could be saved! Surely this would be the moral thing to do?
I couldn't really think of an answer. I mean of course that would be wrong but it's sort of a good point isn't it?
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
I would do what's better for my own self!
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
These questions were featured in a bbc news article last month, so if you'd like a read on it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7739493.stm
Bit too late in the night for my head to come up with sensible answers, but I think my initial thoughts were:
Bit too late in the night for my head to come up with sensible answers, but I think my initial thoughts were:
I wouldn't kill, but the term 'had' is a bit open-ended. It doesn't matter how many are killed by the terrorists, I can't think of a way whereby they could prove 5 more wouldn't be killed unless you murdered someone - ergo it's a bloodbath but my conscience is clean (until I die anyway).Jimmy wrote:If you were in a building held by terrorists and you had to kill somebody or the terrorists would kill 5 other people, what would you do?
Yes I would. Given the judicial system in this country I'd probably get done for manslaughter, but if I was certain (beyond reasonable doubt) that the group would certainly die (or suffer the same consequences as the individual) then I'd made the switch. Assuming I didn't just stand there in anyway.Jimmy wrote:If you saw a train hurtling towards a group of children on a railway line, oblivious to this, and the train was unable to stop but you had the option to switch the train's path so it only killed one kid, would you change it?
Depends on the situation, but I'm quite cowardly so probably not even though I may feel I should.Jimmy wrote:If you knew that you could sacrifice your life to save several others from a certain death (idk, can't be bothered to think of a scenario) would you sacrifice yourself?
I can't imagine how killing a random person would ever be the moral thing to do. I suspect that bit was tagged on to the article to get people thinking by winding them up though.Jimmy wrote:Then how come we don't just kill a random person and donate his body organs to help save people who desperately need them to stay alive? Think of the lives that could be saved! Surely this would be the moral thing to do?
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
I wonder who in their right mind came up with these questions!
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Oh ok, thanks. I can't be fucked to read it now since it's like 4 in the morning but yeah it probably explains it a lot better than I do.Dan Vanniasingham wrote:These questions were featured in a bbc news article last month, so if you'd like a read on it: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/7739493.stm
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Jimmy, what makes you think you can read them at all?
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Q. You have Osama Bin Laden, Robert Mugabe and Gyles Brandreth at gunpoint but only two bullets. Who do you shoot?
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A. Brandreth, twice, just to be sure.
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A. Brandreth, twice, just to be sure.
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
I would rather shoot Osama, and I'm not afraid to admit that!
I don't think anyone would be, frankly!
I don't think anyone would be, frankly!
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
How? You don't have a gun.Phil Reynolds wrote:Q. You have Osama Bin Laden, Robert Mugabe and Gyles Brandreth at gunpoint but only two bullets. Who do you shoot?
A. Brandreth, twice, just to be sure.
(Assuming "gunpoint" means "really close")
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Have you mistaken this for the Asperger's thread?Kirk Bevins wrote: How? You don't have a gun.
(Assuming "gunpoint" means "really close")
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
I don't know what Kirk was thinking, Charlie!
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Again, try the other thread.Jason Larsen wrote:I don't know what Kirk was thinking, Charlie!
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
An assumption based on what exactly? According to my (admittedly non-ODE2r) dictionary:Kirk Bevins wrote:(Assuming "gunpoint" means "really close")
gunpoint n 1 the muzzle of a gun. 2 at gunpoint. being under or using the threat of being shot.
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
The obvious answer being "Gyles Brandreth, twice", right?
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Phil Reynolds wrote:An assumption based on what exactly? According to my (admittedly non-ODE2r) dictionary:Kirk Bevins wrote:(Assuming "gunpoint" means "really close")
gunpoint n 1 the muzzle of a gun. 2 at gunpoint. being under or using the threat of being shot.
OK - I tried being clever but it backfired. Excuse the pun.
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Charlie, I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean.
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Roflcopter!Jason Larsen wrote:Charlie, I'm sorry, I don't know what you mean.
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
You're a funny guy, Charlie!
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Do you find anyone unfunny?Jason Larsen wrote:You're a funny guy, Charlie!
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
You all are funny here, but then again everybody knows it!
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
That organ donation question is a bit strange. I 've seen it before and wondered why you would have to involve a random stranger. The version I read had several different people all requiring different organs, so the random stranger could supply each one. But surely one of the organ-needers could just sacrifice their own life and provide the others with what they need.
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Brilliant.Charlie Reams wrote:Have you mistaken this for the Asperger's thread?Kirk Bevins wrote: How? You don't have a gun.
(Assuming "gunpoint" means "really close")
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Re: Interesting question my Dad asked me...
Who donated an organ?