Welcome to the trolley problem.
this post was submitted on 08 Aug 2023
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I always always hated that problem. It is so contrived. Have you seen trolleys? They are freaken slow and full of safeties. Also the workers would have locked out the line.
I mean, most Christians would say yes because that's the entire premise of the crucifixion.
This interpretation leaves out the most important part of the crucifixion story: Jesus willingly took on the world's sins out of love. So whether or not most Christians would say yes depends on if the one person being tortured has a choice in the matter, which is unspecified in the question.
I came to say the same thing. This is exactly what Christianity believes.
But of course, it was Jesus who gave himself willingly.
If he was forced to do that, it would've been reprehensible because he was the only truly innocent person who ever lived.
If that one innocent person agrees to it, I say yes. Otherwise, no.
No it’s not morally preferable. Fuck that world that requires human sacrifice.
Just out of interest, what if we make it a (not-human) animal instead of a human? Or, what if we make it trillions of animals every year. What about a world that doesn't require it but still includes mass amounts of animal sacrifice unnecessarily? That's the world we're in right now 😂
Most peoples empathy differs from human to animal.
But it shouldn't. Our empathy with other humans all boils down to knowing their ability to suffer. And science today agrees, that most animals are able to suffer and feel pain just like us. We really should include them into our circle of moral consideration and thankfully more and more people already do
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I'll take a different approach here. Evolution does not care about your feelings.
If a species is unwilling to self-sacrifice for the greater good, and it comes up against an event that cannot be solved with selfishness, it goes extinct. Like in this scenario.
But evolution is a motherfucker, and evolution does not care about your feelings, the only thing that matters to evolution is reproductive success. So some people are going to be altruistic because that's better for the species because it makes it more survivable.
I'm not saying it's right, I'm not saying it's wrong, but the species that's going to survive is the one that's willing to self sacrifice for the greater good of the species. To increase reproductive success. And that's what's going to be left in the universe. Because evolution does not care. You either get with the program or you get out of the gene pool no other option
Evolution is not a good base for morals. We tried it out - was really bad.
Now hold on. How can we be certain? Maybe holocaust 2: electric boogaloo will be better
I'm in Germany, so not sure if allowed to answer.
Sure you can! Say it with me: "Eugenics and genocide aren't a fast track to an improved gene pool. Holocaust 2 is bad news bears."
Dang, I'm already marching on the street with a burning torch.
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An inherently flawed world maintaining its function through cannibalism will inevitably devour itself into nonexistence. Why prolong its suffering?
Has that happened? No really I am asking for evidence. We have had forms of slavery since our species began. It wasn't like one time we had a slave 20,000 years ago. The world still basically works with humans using humans. We don't have to like it, we should fight it, but the idea that you are stating that if we are bad once we lose everything doesn't match with the facts that we have.
I am typing this while wearing clothing made by children on a phone made by slaves in China.
Is that person Rupert Murdoch? Then yes
Can we torture 10 deserving people instead of 1 innocent?
I think it has happened numerous times already under the same pretense.
I am not sure if we are saved or not.
I'd just walk away from Omelas.
A great story that illustrates this question really well. It is by Ursula K. Le Guin, written in 1973, if anyone is wondering.
Are you trying to make an arguement for Christianity?
Unfair to ask the question in the incomplete form.. The tortured person is you. Now answer
I would not do it, if somebody else does it - so be it.
Come torture me
That is many people's mentality, yes. It probably depends if you were the one being tortured or were close. Pain can be ignored if not directly felt, especially if it means whatever you think your survival entails.
I'm not comfortable with it, but I'm not comfortable with life either.
Someone needs to watch "Knock at the Cabin" by Shyamalan.
Or Cabin in the Woods.
Absolutely!
In practice we all know what we would do. Given that morality is at best invented and aspirational that is the moral action. Or at least we think that it is.
Random people we've never heard of get tortured every day for less. What's one more? Jack Bauer will do whatever he needs to do so everyone else can live and the world doesn't end.
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