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#1
12-12-2005, 03:53 PM
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What\'s a good man to do?
Let's say we have a good, honest businessman who, after two decades of hard work, good economic sense, and wise investing, has accumulated ten million to his name. He decides he's tired of making money for himself, and wants to do some good.
He has two options: A) He can donate a large portion to charity, and living modestly off the rest, making the remaining ends meet with charitable social work for the poor. B) He can start a much-needed business with his business skills and strong bankroll. He could employ many, and the proceeds from the business would be greatly in excess of ten million, most of which could be donated to charity with enough left over for him to still live a comfortable life, if he so chooses. Economically and socially, this is a better alternative, in that it does more good for more people. He cannot do both; running a business would consume far too much of his time. He is aware that B does more good than A. Is it wrong for him to choose A? 
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#2
12-12-2005, 03:58 PM
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Re: What\'s a good man to do?
It's his money, it's his life. If he wants to blow it all on craps and hookers in Reno he hasn't done anything wrong.
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#3
12-12-2005, 04:02 PM
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Re: What\'s a good man to do?
Choice B would be the better choice from a utilitarian perspective. I don't agree with that perspective, though, so I don't think it would be wrong to choose A. A is still a lot better for the common good than many otherthings he can do.
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#4
12-12-2005, 04:04 PM
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Re: What\'s a good man to do?
[ QUOTE ]
It's his money, it's his life. If he wants to blow it all on craps and hookers in Reno he hasn't done anything wrong. [/ QUOTE ] If you find someone beaten up in the street who needs help, is it wrong not to help him?
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#5
12-12-2005, 04:05 PM
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Re: What\'s a good man to do?
No. If you don't you're an [censored] though.
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#6
12-12-2005, 04:08 PM
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Re: What\'s a good man to do?
[ QUOTE ]
No. If you don't you're an [censored] though. [/ QUOTE ] I think that's the same as being wrong [img]/images/graemlins/tongue.gif[/img] (This is tough for me too since I'm usually one of the first people to argue that there is no right or wrong [img]/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img])
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#7
12-12-2005, 04:14 PM
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Re: What\'s a good man to do?
Wrong in the sense that some supreme being will punish you for it: no.
Wrong in terms of how our society deems it: yes. Wrong in some societies: perhaps not, though I would not want to live there.
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#8
12-12-2005, 04:24 PM
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Re: What\'s a good man to do?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] It's his money, it's his life. If he wants to blow it all on craps and hookers in Reno he hasn't done anything wrong. [/ QUOTE ] If you find someone beaten up in the street who needs help, is it wrong not to help him? [/ QUOTE ] The man on the street is not owed your help. It may be nice to help him out, and if you want to and it makes you feel good, go for it. If you enjoy watching him suffer, go for it.
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#9
12-12-2005, 05:01 PM
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Re: What\'s a good man to do?
If you think that your initial question is an analogous circumstance to seeing someone beaten up on the street, you're mistaken.
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#10
12-12-2005, 05:39 PM
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Re: What\'s a good man to do?
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ] It's his money, it's his life. If he wants to blow it all on craps and hookers in Reno he hasn't done anything wrong. [/ QUOTE ] If you find someone beaten up in the street who needs help, is it wrong not to help him? [/ QUOTE ] I think that this is a) a simple application of the golden rule and b) not a very good analogy.
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