The Value of Human Life (a poll for BigSooner)

[sweetjazz]

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You are assuming the death ray is the morally wrong answer. Wrong for who? Certainly for the 10 African children, but not for myself or my loved one. Also not wrong for my loved one's loved ones. If my loved one were childless, then definitely not wrong for my loved one's future offspring, grandchildren, etc. If my loved one saves a life, then not wrong for the person who's life my loved one saved. If my loved one becomes a doctor or finds a cure for a deadly disease and saves hundreds and hundreds of lives, then not wrong for any of those who'ss lives my loved one saved.

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The "wrong for who?" argument makes no sense. I cannot go and kill Celine Dion and then argue that, yes it may have been wrong for her, but it was right for so many people who hate her music with boundless zeal. Your choice could be between saving Mother Theresa or zapping a spoiled brat with a death ray.

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I could go on and on. Ten deaths to 1 is not a slam dunk. I also do not believe morality is static with clear cut right and wrong answers.

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I agree with you 100% that is possible that there is more value to society as a whole to save the terminally ill person than to not zap the African children. Thus, zapping the African children could be for the greater good. Still, it would be wrong to do. (Just as, even if most people thought that killing Celine Dion would serve the greater good of society, it would still, unfortunately, be wrong.)

I too do not believe that morality is always static with clear cut right and wrong answers. But I also believe that in some situations, there are clear answers. I think the example of the OP is relatively clear. (Though I think the reason stated in the poll for not using the death ray is completely off the mark, which might be part of the reason so many people disagree with it.) You could add some additional facts that would make it closer.