| Subject: Utility bill |
Author:
Damoclese
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Date Posted: 12/17/02 3:50pm
In reply to:
Wade A. Tisthammer
's message, "My reply to the reply." on 12/16/02 11:29pm
>I think you may have missed the point of the question:
>the decrease of pain in the world as a result the
>death. Suppose in this scenario that this person
>is some homeless guy who has no living relatives or
>friends, and that the death of this person does in
>fact decrease the overall pain in the world, so that
>the amount of pain done against this person is nowhere
>near the amount of pain decreased by the individual’s
>death. In this hypothetical case, a lot less pain is
>resulted in the world by killing this person. No more
>getting a certain nasty flu that lasts for 10 months
>before getting over it, for trillions upon trillions
>of people everywhere. I know this is very
>hypothetical, but it nonetheless puts the philosophy
>to an interesting test.
To do the least harm is a delicate equation. I don't neccessarily take it to mean the entire world. In comparing the utility of such an action, I'd probably consider this one person's death in relation to another one person's suffering. So, in other words, what I'd be comparing is the ten months of sickness of one person to the other's death. Not having family is a plus, but I'd view his negation of the will to live as being quite harmful, in fact, more harmful than one person's being sick for ten months. Now, on the whole, it is true there is by sheer quantity, more suffering in the world, but the pieces are broken up such that the bulk of the suffering is not all in one place. Everyone simply experiences a piece of the suffering, not mind you, the entirity of the pie.
However, I wouldn't fault someone for making the other decision of killing the chap. I'm not sure why you find this to be odiously unjust, as martyrdom is nothing new. Jesus died in a situation not wholly different from the scenario you proposed, hence, is divine justice in error? What of sacrificing someone for the better of the whole?
Damoclese
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