Why not steal money and give it to Africans?

[emil3000]

[ QUOTE ]
How much have you donated to starving Africans children Soonerfan? It's easy to take the patronizing moral high ground when Darryl says that the value of human life is relative, but it is. Who wouldn't kill ten unknown people half across the world to save their brother or sister? I certainly would, and I think the vast majority of people feel the same way.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yeah, sure, but for me this not a linear relation and. I have sort of a value sphere which is sharply delineated. I definitely wouldn't kill 10 african men to save 8 random men from Sweden, even though I live here, and I would think less of most people that would.

[Darryl_P]

[ QUOTE ]
I definitely wouldn't kill 10 african men to save 8 random men from Sweden, even though I live here, and I would think less of most people that would.

[/ QUOTE ]

What do you think of your own government, then, for devoting MUCH more resources to preventing your own countrymen from starving than to preventing Africans from starving?

[sweetjazz]

Is there an exception for the rich people who own shipping businesses, so that you can get the stolen goods to Africa?

[emil3000]

In general I dislike the way the western governments disregard the needs of the poor countries. Agricultural politics come to mind. However there are practical issues wrt getting the aid to the people that need it, not to the dictators. Also the welfare in Sweden is of direct use to me, and it creates a safer and more pleasant environment, which I also prefer. None the less, I would be in favor of increasing governmental efforts to help out in various countries suffering from starvation and disease. I am not educated enough to debate how and where.

My statement was more of an arguement against nationalism, and valuing people higher cause they happen to be of the same nationality. I am principally against that.

[hmkpoker]

[ QUOTE ]
In general I dislike the way the western governments disregard the needs of the poor countries. Agricultural politics come to mind. However there are practical issues wrt getting the aid to the people that need it, not to the dictators. Also the welfare in Sweden is of direct use to me, and it creates a safer and more pleasant environment, which I also prefer. None the less, I would be in favor of increasing governmental efforts to help out in various countries suffering from starvation and disease. I am not educated enough to debate how and where.

[/ QUOTE ]


The problem is that the money comes from taxes. Should all people of a certain nation be forced to care for people they'll A) probably never meet and B) probably won't contribute anything in return?

[emil3000]

Well yeah it would need democratic support if it was to be done.

[hmkpoker]

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showth...e=0#Post4045052

Now don't you feel stupid?

[mr_whomp]

**didnt read most of the thread since it is uber long, so sorry if this has already been said**

It depends on what ethical model are you using. If you're using a utiliatarian model than yes you are correct in saying you should steal to help stop babies from getting killed. (utilitarian ethics would be whatever causes the greatest good is ethically correct, IE outcome is all that matters).

If you believe Kant then you would think it is wrong to steal to save african babies. Because it isnt just the outcome of your actions that is important but also the reason why you do things. I personally disagree with Kant because taking his argument to the extreme can get pretty rediculous. (IE if you ask me to let you hide in my house from a murderer, i have a moral/ethical obligation to let you hide in my house. BUT if the murderer asks me if you are hiding in my house i have a moral/ethical obligaton to tell him that yes you are hiding in my house and it would be morally reprihensable for me to lie to him).

You could also take a divine belief point of view. IE whatever god says is good is morally/ethically good. So if god says to steal and save african babies then you should steal and save african babies. (this belief system runs into the problem of are things good because god says they are good, or is god saying things are good because they are in fact good.


Also if you are interested in any of this stuff, you should definitely sit in on any local university ethics class, all we do is argue about this stuff for an hour 3 times a week.

[BigSoonerFan]

[ QUOTE ]
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/showth...e=0#Post4045052

Now don't you feel stupid?

[/ QUOTE ]

Stupid? No. Apparently I overestimate mankind (which I thought would be impossible for me to do).