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A moral dilemma

Archive: 31 posts

A man has taken 10 hostages. Among the hostages are men, women and children. All of them are strangers to you, except for one person. This is the person who you love and care about most in the world. The man tells you that he will either kill this person or kill the rest of the hostages, but the choice is yours. Once you have chosen, he will let the survivor(s) go free.

Who do you chose to save?		2010-06-11 08:52:00

Author:
Ungreth
Posts: 2130

You tell him to kill all of them. That'll confuse him!2010-06-11 09:00:00

Author:
Keldur
Posts: 628

Well now the one person you know would be aware of this dilemma and if you chose to save them they would probably feel guilty and the relationship may deteriorate and yeah, bad times. So I don't know if it's the best idea to sacrifice 9 in the place of 1. But then I know this sounds really harsh but I don't believe in heaven, hell or anywhere in between. If someone dies that's it, nothingness. So would these 9 people be THAT bothered as I'd consider them to be totally unaware of their fate as well they'd be trapped in nothingness. It would be over in 2 seconds... If you let the 1 person who means everything to you die though you would probably be flawed for the rest of your life as much as if you let 9 people die to save the one you loved. At the end of the day you have 1 life to enjoy, being greedy would you just save that 1 person because you would never get another chance with them again otherwise and let's face it the other 9 aren't going to have that much of an impact. Would their blood really be on your hands? You wouldn't be the killer so I think it would be possible to get over. But then just don't give an answer and figure out a way to kill the killer first I'm sure it would be a much tougher decision if it actually came to such a situation. But my present self feels like saving the one person that means everything. The other 9 were going to die at some point anyway.. right? The more I think of it I don't think you can win this one, you lose either way.2010-06-11 09:34:00

Author:
OneEyedBanshee
Posts: 1370

. The man tells you that he will either kill [the person who you love and care about most in the world] or kill the rest of the hostages.

Well, it wouldn't be much of a dilemma if the person you love most in the world is yourself 		2010-06-11 09:46:00

Author:
rtm223
Posts: 6497

Well, it wouldn't be much of a dilemma if the person you love most in the world is yourself
If you loved youself that much then you should probably choose to save the other 9 anyway

Myself, if I ever did find myself in that situation, I would choose the person you meant the most to me. Because honestly that's who I and naturally everyone would want to choose and either way you're going to make a bad decision and everyone will feel guilty. So I don't see it as a hard decision.		2010-06-11 10:24:00

Author:
SR20DETDOG
Posts: 2431

If you loved youself that much then you should probably choose to save the other 9 anyway

Myself, if I ever did find myself in that situation, I would choose the person you meant the most to me. Because honestly that's who I and naturally everyone would want to choose and either way you're going to make a bad decision and everyone will feel guilty. So I don't see it as a hard decision.

True. Plus the world is over populated anyways. 		2010-06-11 10:35:00

Author:
Whalio Cappuccino
Posts: 5250

Myself, if I ever did find myself in that situation, I would choose the person you meant the most to me. Because honestly that's who I and naturally everyone would want to choose and either way you're going to make a bad decision and everyone will feel guilty.

The reason it's not so clear cut as that is that you could well destroy the life of the person you love by saving them, you would basically be forcing upon them the guilt of "I'm only alive because SR20DETDOG killed innocent children for me." Very few people would be able to deal with that, especially as there is no way to rationalise it.

Overall you actually cause the most damage to everyone by taking that route.		2010-06-11 10:49:00

Author:
rtm223
Posts: 6497

The reason it's not so clear cut as that is that you could well destroy the life of the person you love by saving them, you would basically be forcing upon them the guilt of "I'm only alive because SR20DETDOG killed innocent children for me." Very few people would be able to deal with that, especially as there is no way to rationalise it.

Overall you actually cause the most damage to everyone by taking that route.

As I said though, if you took the other path, the 9 strangers would have the guilt of "SR20DETDOG sacrificed the person he most loved for us" So either way everyone will feel guilty. There is no good answer, so If I was in the situation I'd try to give it as little thought as possible and just make a decision.

Also I belive that it's depends on what sort of person someone is whether or not they could deal with that.		2010-06-11 11:09:00

Author:
SR20DETDOG
Posts: 2431

save the 9 others i guess......but its depents on who the persons are.2010-06-11 11:17:00

Author:
Smelling-Cowboy
Posts: 668

Well, I'd choose myself. That way they all live. I couldn't live with myself knowing I'd either killed the person who the means the most to me or 9 complete strangers who had lives and families.2010-06-11 18:39:00

Author:
trip090
Posts: 1562

Well, I'd choose myself. That way they all live. I couldn't live with myself knowing I'd either killed the person who the means the most to me or 9 complete strangers who had lives and families.

I don't think that was an option. 		2010-06-11 18:49:00

Author:
Whalio Cappuccino
Posts: 5250

Hmmmm...... I suppose it depends. Do I get a look at the others to see if they're worth saving? 2010-06-11 18:52:00

Author:
CCubbage
Posts: 4430

But wait... this moral dilemma doesn't work if you don't love anyone, it would just be 10 strangers then and you can choose to save 1 or 9. I knew the cake was a lie!

Also, this situation is eerily similar to something that happens in inFamous. 		2010-06-11 19:04:00

Author:
Gilgamesh
Posts: 2536

Tell him to stand at the window
/Sniped		2010-06-11 19:15:00

Author:
Unknown User

Huh...funny, I always thought, these moral dilemma thought experiments can only be solved by one of the most typical human traits, that sets us apart from any other known being: Looking out for a third option.
If both options are actually bad, won't that be the best way of thinking and acting about it? Would also make for much more interesting (say creative) forum game...		2010-06-11 19:30:00

Author:
Xario
Posts: 238

I have 2 answers for this.

1 - Tell the "killer" (or to be killer) that he's the most important person toy you and that with much thought and regret you sadly have decided to save the others.

2. Tell him to let them all go and iwon't have to put a bullet through his head. :kz:

Simple as that. 		2010-06-11 20:30:00

Author:
Silverleon
Posts: 6707

falcon... PUNCH! thats how to choose both

if not, then kill them all; stupid humans milling about the pavements like annoying noisy skittles.		2010-06-11 20:32:00

Author:
flamingemu
Posts: 1872

Well, tough dilemma.
Depends on if the person I love loves me.
Would I kill 9 instead of 1? In a weak moment maybe.Would I kill them anyway, if the 1 would still love me after that. I believe you can get over things, if you try hard. The survivor(s) will walk free. But will I be a survivor walking free? Will I go to jail instead. I am not a survivor, I am a murderer. I did not have the option to kill myself.
If heaven and hell is real, can I save nine lives to clear it? That would hopefully not be, then Heaven would be a cheap *******, I would say. I also wonder if I can take another person's place in hell. If so, I would take all the nine other's sin upon me when I got there and let them get to heaven. Eternal pain is nothing, even if it drives me mad. The feeling of guilt disappearing beats everything.

Though, if there's a heaven and hell, I have no idea about. Maybe just heaven, maybe just hell. Probably nothing.		2010-06-11 20:56:00

Author:
moonwire
Posts: 1627

Well now the one person you know would be aware of this dilemma and if you chose to save them they would probably feel guilty and the relationship may deteriorate and yeah, bad times. So I don't know if it's the best idea to sacrifice 9 in the place of 1. But then I know this sounds really harsh but I don't believe in heaven, hell or anywhere in between. If someone dies that's it, nothingness. So would these 9 people be THAT bothered as I'd consider them to be totally unaware of their fate as well they'd be trapped in nothingness. It would be over in 2 seconds... If you let the 1 person who means everything to you die though you would probably be flawed for the rest of your life as much as if you let 9 people die to save the one you loved. At the end of the day you have 1 life to enjoy, being greedy would you just save that 1 person because you would never get another chance with them again otherwise and let's face it the other 9 aren't going to have that much of an impact. Would their blood really be on your hands? You wouldn't be the killer so I think it would be possible to get over. But then just don't give an answer and figure out a way to kill the killer first I'm sure it would be a much tougher decision if it actually came to such a situation. But my present self feels like saving the one person that means everything. The other 9 were going to die at some point anyway.. right? The more I think of it I don't think you can win this one, you lose either way.

I do not believe there will be nothingness. Once we die, I believe our mind dies too. Therefore, We would be completely unaware of the nothingness, because we cease to be >.<

Also, I'm sure my loved one would understand the situation. I would save the other hostages, and as soon as they're safe, kill the evil person who made us make such a horrible decision, or die trying.		2010-06-11 21:01:00

Author:
Weretigr
Posts: 2105

[...] and as soon as they're safe, kill the evil person who made us make such a horrible decision, or die trying.

...so that at least someone gets killed :-/
I'd still favor a solution where no one dies, and still say that's most humane (i.e. best) way of treating this.		2010-06-11 21:58:00

Author:
Xario
Posts: 238

I do not believe there will be nothingness. Once we die, I believe our mind dies too. Therefore, We would be completely unaware of the nothingness, because we cease to be >.<



That's my point there'd be nothing, no memory, no thought just plain nothing.		2010-06-11 22:29:00

Author:
OneEyedBanshee
Posts: 1370

The answer is obvious, you choose no one and use your heat vision to explode the brain of the person holding the hostages.2010-06-11 22:36:00

Author:
qrtda235566
Posts: 3664

The answer is obvious, you choose no one and use your heat vision to explode the brain of the person holding the hostages.

gah! so simple!		2010-06-11 22:40:00

Author:
trip090
Posts: 1562

The answer is obvious, you choose no one and use your heat vision to explode the brain of the person holding the hostages.
Thats what I mean with "look out for 3. option". Still, someone gets killed...		2010-06-11 23:19:00

Author:
Xario
Posts: 238

Or, my plan B:

*Picks up phone*

"Hello? Oh Chuck Norris! How nice to hear from you! What's that? Tell that guy to put his gun down and surrender or feel your wrath? Okay!"

2010-06-12 00:05:00

Author:
Weretigr
Posts: 2105

Or, my plan B:
*Picks up phone*
"Hello? Oh Chuck Norris! [...] Cool :-)

<---- gives out metaphorical and non existant game points, but capped, because....

well ,... since Chuck Norris can do ... (long pause) ... anything, which kinda brings him close to that guy (or girl or whatever) from that other thread, it's somhow ... a bit .... far fetched?...anyway...where was my point?
Oh yeah, So how about a more down-to-earth-attempt?		2010-06-12 02:37:00

Author:
Xario
Posts: 238

Or, my plan B:

*Picks up phone*

"Hello? Oh Chuck Norris! How nice to hear from you! What's that? Tell that guy to put his gun down and surrender or feel your wrath? Okay!"



Fool, Chuck Norris' voice oveer the phone would be enough to make you and everyone within a 5mile radius explode from extremeness overdose. 		2010-06-12 02:38:00

Author:
Silverleon
Posts: 6707

Or, my plan B:

*Picks up phone*

"Hello? Oh Chuck Norris! How nice to hear from you! What's that? Tell that guy to put his gun down and surrender or feel your wrath? Okay!"



Also, the good the Chuck gives the Chuck shall take back.

My plans-
a: Kill the bad guy.

b: Just throw an impact nuke to the floor.		2010-06-12 02:45:00

Author:
JspOt
Posts: 3607

The correct answer? Shoot your loved one, and the rest of the hostages live.

The real answer depends partly on whether other people would know of your choice or not. Societal pressure to do the right thing tends to only have effect when people know someone is watching. That being said, the Milgram experiments (amongst others) seem to prove that most of us are petty little thugs waiting for permission.

I like to think I would save the other nine hostages, but I couldn't honestly say whether I would do the right thing or not.		2010-06-16 04:12:00

Author:
roux-
Posts: 379

Well, I'd take a third option. I'd go ahead and try to tackle him. Even if he manages to down me, the hostages will use the distraction to subdue him.

Hopefully.

(Or shoot him! That works too!)

If not, I'd let him kill my loved one, because I know those 9 people also have loved ones, and choosing the loved one for myself would be selfish. I like to see myself a s ahero first, a human second.

Of course, as soon as he shoots said loved one, I'd proceed to beat him to death. Vengeance is best served HOT, gentlemen!		2010-06-16 04:24:00

Author:
Astrosimi
Posts: 2046

... if anything, I'd be the one holding everyone hostage in these kind of situations.

So, if they decide to go with their loved ones, the go ahead: either way, everyone's gonna end up dead on the floor. 		2010-06-16 06:23:00

Author:
Outlaw-Jack
Posts: 5757


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