Posted by alexandra_k on February 28, 2005, at 17:42:37
In reply to Re: (1) One or Six??? » rainbowbrite, posted by alexandra_k on February 28, 2005, at 17:36:34
According to another moral theory (Kants moral law) it is a moral law that killing people is wrong (as a blanket law - no exceptions). On this theory it would be wrong to kill one and it would be wrong to kill six.
You would be doing the wrong thing either way.
According to utilitarianism if you kill one person then you are doing the right thing GIVEN THE AVAILABLE OPTIONS. And given that you do not need to feel guilty. Sad that they have died - yes. But guilty that you did the wrong thing - not at all. Instead you should feel guilty if you do nothing (thereby killing 6 in effect) where GIVEN THE SITUATION YOU ARE IN the morally correct thing to do would be to kill 1.
poster:alexandra_k
thread:464517
URL: http://www.dr-bob.org/babble/social/20050224/msgs/464556.html