I saw that ethical dilemma further down, but this is the one I normally go with, because it is simpler.
You are standing on a small balcony. You are enjoying a parade going on below, when you notice a grenade at your feet. The pin is out, and wherever you throw the grenade, you will kill parade goers.
Do you die, or let others die?
Once you figure it out for yourself, now this: Would you punish a person for making either choice?
Finally, assume that there is only one person in the street, but the grenade will kill either you or him.
I would let myself get killed. I have no fear of death so why would death be so bad? I feel that if i throw the grenade that somebody else’s life is not worth my own.
As for if I would punish the thrower… yes but no harshly. He would be acting in panic so probable without rational thought. He would not have had the time to measure everything out. At the worst manslaughter but no jail time would be necessary and he should have to do something for the people he injuried, and/or families of the killed. To me this is like when to swerve to miss a deer and hit another car.
The question, “Do I fear death?” can only be answered after death is at your door. Have you ever been in a situation where you honestly thought you were going to die? If you have, and you still do not fear death, I envy you.
As for me, I honestly don’t know what I’d do. I would probably eat the grenade as well, though.
I resent that! Who says its a better question!? Jk, I would definatly throw the grenade because only my life matters. Simple as that. Why should I sacrifice myself for the parading people? I would not punish anyone for doing the same, it was self-defense. Not even man slaughter.
I’d chuck the grenade into my house, and stay on the balcony. Though I’d be a bit miffed at the re-decorating bill…
Then I’d think -
‘what the hell is a live grenade doing on my balcony…? I really must get out of this shitty neighborhood.’
Punishment: Already cut-and-dried: if the said person killed themself - they’re already punished, and if they blew-up the paraders - well, they’d have a hard time explaining how they ‘innocently’ came to be hurling grenades around - so off to jail for that bozo.
Aren’t all these ethical black and whites a bit… well… Black and white…?
Let’s make it more grey, then. Let’s knock the parade down to a one man parade. Let’s make that one man a convicted child rapist/murderer who likes to set cats on fire. How about now?
I run back from the balcony into the room. Or, maybe I jump off the balcony if I can find a space to land on without people (even though there is nowhere safe for a grenade to land because of the blast, that doesn’t mean there might be a spot big enough for me to land in without hurting a person).
But I know all these options are dodging the issue (no pun intended). So, to be clear, I would do what I could to save myself in any way EXCEPT kicking off the grenade onto others or causing deadly harm to others. If my efforts were feeble and I die, then so be it.
I would punish someone who kicked an explosive grenade onto others, yes.
Yes, if you know the person is a “baddie” then you not only have a right, but an obligation to make sure they are the one that bites it, IF you are forced into choosing between the death of two people. The fact that one of the people is you, is irrelevant.
sigh personally, i would hesitate, and then kill him
as for the whole “if it were you/ someone else” i dont want to think about it cos i really dont know, i mean, if i was in panic, id prolly throw it, but then, as easymoney said, somebody else’s life is not worth my own.
If one had a strong enough arm, one could chuck the grenade up in the air and hope it explodes before hitting the parader(s) below.
If that is not an option: what percent chance is it that their life(lives) is(are) worth more than mine? I would only kill myself for the lives of a select few people, but as I don’t know the people in the crowd… I really cannot make that call, and neither could anyone else (thus there should be no punishment).
I do not fear death (yes, I have been close to death… bloody scary at the time, but I realized it wouldn’t be that bad.)
DT, I cannot believe you would punish a person for kicking the grenade off into the parade. I dont think there is any justice system today that would do that… People realize that the desire, and instinct, to stay alive is the dominant one in humanity. You seem to suggest completely eliminating the individual. You would like to be a hive mind rather than a group of individuals. Blah, Shame on you, I would love to see what Emerson would have to say about you!
Dr. Satanical – Nothing on earth that I could ever imagine. But would ceasing to exist really be so bad that you would fear it? Ok, maybe your life is way better than mine then, because I would give mine up for some people.
Embracetrees- Ah, not a fond memory… only time I ever cried since I was like 3 (small child, doesn’t count…hmm how old was I…like 11?). All I have to say is not being able to breathe and being entirely helpless…
But back to the main topic: ethics are simply in the eye of the individual, there is no “greater conscience†that keeps everyone from doing what society labels as “bad†and nothing is black and white… law is gray(that’s why we have a jury), or should be if not for impartiality.
- Then what would he be doing parading through town…?
