Questions that make you think

[XChick03]

Okay, two more questions to go, and this is probably the most difficult. Though, I''ve learned from the last few that I need to be more specific, so this one comes with a full scenario.

Imagine you, your significant other, and your absolute best friend have all been kidnapped. The deranged kidnapper has the three of you all tied up, then pulls out a gun and turns to you, he asks you to choose which one you''d rather die. Whoever you choose will be shot and killed on the spot and if you don''t choose one of the two, he''ll kill you all. Who would you choose?

Sorry, its so depressing. It makes me sad just thinking about it.

But now I have to offer a choice that combines both morals and emotions in both options.

 

[MINE!!]

Well, my baby brother is 28 and he would probably kick my A$$ if I decieded to save his one life over that of 5 others.

 

[qtiekiki]

Date: 2/28/2006 3:36:02 PM
Author: XChick03

Date: 2/28/2006 3:31:33 PM
Author: qtiekiki
#1 - sibling because I can't imagine life without either one of my sisters. I guess if it's anyone I know vs. five strangers, I would highly likely save the person I know because like IslandDreams said, that person have a direct effect on my life. But I would feel really bad not being able to save the others though.


#2 - stranger, but I never really had a pet. Does this mean that we consider human life more important than animal life (for those of us who choose the stranger)? I would imagine that a dearly loved pet can has the same effect on one's life as a sibling. I suppose that might have something to do with your paper topic.

I'm actually comparing emotions to conscience/morals. Since most of us know that on some level, a human life should outweight the life of an animal and that 5 lives are greater than 1, yet we still choose what we choose, because either of how we feel about the person/pet or because of what we feel would be morally the 'right' thing to do.

It's interesting though how some of us (myself included) choose to follow our emotions in question #1 when the emotions involve another human being, but choose to follow our conscience/morals in question #2 when the emotions involve an animal. I would be interested as what you conclude from the poll since the questions are similar but the answers can be so different.

ETA: answer to the third question, I wouldn't choose either (OOps I misread the questions). I wouldn't want all three of us to die. I would choose my SO.

 

[AndyRosse]

#1 Sibling

#2 Dog (or in my case cat

)

Is it sad that for the first question I thought for a minute or two before answering, and the second question I immediately knew my answer?? Can you tell I''m an animal lover?

 

[MINE!!]

Defintely Stranger over dog or any other animal. Once I was talking to my children about fire safety and what to do if the house was on fire. My oldest asked how her dog would get out of the house and who would save the hamsters. I told her the same thing that I was told as child. "Just get out, I can replace a dog and a hamster, I could never replace you."

 

[JDgirl]

#1 - I'd save my sibling (my younger sister)

#2 - I'd save my dog(s) - sorry, but in my heart they can't be replaced

#3 - I'd save my sig other (this would have been a much harder question if it was a family member instead of best friend)

 

[MINE!!]

Now for the last question.. well, let me ask you a question.. have you ever seen the movie Sophie's Choice? I haven't, I refuse to, cause I know what it is about. It is about a woman who is forced to chose between her children. SHe had to choose which one was going to die and which one was to live. I would say, kill me. But that does not answer your question. I suppose I would choose my SO.

 

[Mokey]

I would choose my SO, he is also my best friend, so I would be saving both at the same time.

 

[XChick03]

Date: 2/28/2006 3:48:15 PM
Author: JDgirl
#1 - I'd save my sibling (my younger sister)


#2 - I'd save my dog(s) - sorry, but in my heart they can't be replaced


#3 - I'd save my sig other (this would have been a much harder question if it was a family member instead of best friend)

Well, I love my best friend like a sister. I've known her over 10 years and I love her to death...but we're getting to the family members.

Sorry, I'm getting confused, for those of you who said "I choose my SO" do you mean choose him/her to live or die?

 

[XChick03]

And to answer my own question. I would have to choose my best friend. Though, I love her to death, I couldn''t live without Peter. I feel selfish just typing that.

 

[XChick03]

Date: 2/28/2006 3:49:39 PM
Author: MINE!!
Now for the last question.. well, let me ask you a question.. have you ever seen the movie Sophie''s Choice? I haven''t, I refuse to, cause I know what it is about. It is about a woman who is forced to chose between her children. SHe had to choose which one was going to die and which one was to live. I would say, kill me. But that does not answer your question. I suppose I would choose my SO.

No, I haven''t and it sounds horrible. I can''t imagine ever having to make such a choice. I''d never be able to live myself regardless of what I chose. I''d also choose myself if I could.

 

[Mokey]

To clarify, I choose my SO to live.

 

[belle]

i would choose for my so to live.

 

[Caribou]

Date: 2/28/2006 3:43:14 PM
Author: XChick03
Okay, two more questions to go, and this is probably the most difficult. Though, I''ve learned from the last few that I need to be more specific, so this one comes with a full scenario.

Imagine you, your significant other, and your absolute best friend have all been kidnapped. The deranged kidnapper has the three of you all tied up, then pulls out a gun and turns to you, he asks you to choose which one you''d rather die. Whoever you choose will be shot and killed on the spot and if you don''t choose one of the two, he''ll kill you all. Who would you choose?

Sorry, its so depressing. It makes me sad just thinking about it.

But now I have to offer a choice that combines both morals and emotions in both options.

Wow!

Would we have a time limit to give our answer? That''s tough one...can''t I say I choose myself...what if I consider myself my best friend.

I can''t answer that question.....all I know is that I''d rather me be dead than have to decide which person, my honey or my best friend, dies.

 

[fire&ice]

I choose to save the stranger over my dog for the simple reason - the stranger is most likely someone's father, mother, daughter, son, wife, husband. My grief would be only limited to my dog whilst I would change the world of many others. Also, I didn't think the issue of who needed help more was a factor.

I wonder if not only we have a moral obligation to save the stranger - Do we have a legal obligation?

edited to add: having lived through two of our beloved dogs death - you can not replace them - but you can fairly readily fill the whole in your heart.

 

[XChick03]

Date: 2/28/2006 4:06:54 PM
Author: fire&ice
I choose to save the stranger over my dog for the simple reason - the stranger is most likely someone''s father, mother, daughter, son, wife, husband. My grief would be only limited to my dog whilst I would change the world of many others. Also, I didn''t think the issue of who needed help more was a factor.


I wonder if not only we have a moral obligation to save the stranger - Do we have a legal obligation?

Nope, there is no law requiring you help someone in need.

 

[FireGoddess]

Q1. I'd save my sibling.
Q2. This one is really really hard for me, because the pet is so helpless, vulnerable, and probably confused. It's selfish, but I'd probably save my pet.
Q3. I'd save my SO.

I guess that makes me all around a selfish person!!

I know what answers society may expect for some of those questions, but I couldn't in honesty give them. And who knows what I would really do, given the situation. I mean...when those people are looking you in the face....who knows what you would truly do?

ETA: RE: Sophie's Choice....a HORRIBLE movie, IMO. I saw it, I knew what it was supposed to be about, and honestly, the whole thing about having to choose between her children, that was only a 1 minute scene in a long and painfully boring movie. If the movie had been more about that choice, it could have been devastating and effective...I barely got to the end which was when the 'choice' scene is a quick flashback, and to me, wasn't the focus of the movie at all, actually.

 

[decodelighted]

Date: 2/28/2006 4:10:19 PM
Author: XChick03

Date: 2/28/2006 4:06:54 PM

Author: fire&ice
I wonder if not only we have a moral obligation to save the stranger - Do we have a legal obligation?

Nope, there is no law requiring you help someone in need.

I think there are certain professions where you can be sued if it is proven that you were there but did not offer assistance: nurses, paramedics, doctors??? My nurse/now nurse practitioner sister is required (by oath? by law?? not sure) to stop at roadside accidents etc. And has done so, under the most horrific circumstances, and seen way more than she would ever wish to. But it's her job.


ETA: If it was a "snap" decision ...
#1 - sibling #2 - dog #3 - S.O. (to live)
In my mind/emotions/heart my dog is my child. I'm not saying that's morally right - it just is. For me personally, it would like choosing a stranger over my baby.

 

[JDgirl]

The law only says that, as a normal stranger, if you have started to help, you have to do everything you can (you can't change your mind and just stop), or if you put the person in that circumstance, then you have to help.

 

[MINE!!]

Date: 2/28/2006 4:00:57 PM
Author: XChick03

Date: 2/28/2006 3:49:39 PM

Author: MINE!!

Now for the last question.. well, let me ask you a question.. have you ever seen the movie Sophie''s Choice? I haven''t, I refuse to, cause I know what it is about. It is about a woman who is forced to chose between her children. SHe had to choose which one was going to die and which one was to live. I would say, kill me. But that does not answer your question. I suppose I would choose my SO.

No, I haven''t and it sounds horrible. I can''t imagine ever having to make such a choice. I''d never be able to live myself regardless of what I chose. I''d also choose myself if I could.

Yeh, I can only imagine.... My heart clentches with the thought. I think it took place in a German Concentration camp.. phsycological torture.. UGH!!

I would choose my SO to live.

 

[aljdewey]

Date: 2/28/2006 10:46:59 AM
Author: hlmr
That is a hard one!!! because first of all, I have to question why I can't save all six people. After all if there is a way to save five, one more shouldn't be a problem, right?

I know, that is not the question or purpose of the question. I guess I would have to save my little sister. I would do everything humanly possible to save everyone but given the choice of her or them, I would save my family. If everyone were strangers I would save the five people (unless the 'one' was a child).

Hope that helps.

Heather

Hehehe - that's what I love about you, Heather...you always think beyond the given parameters! LOL

Seriously, though, I think the only way this data can be meaningful to Chick03 is for the responses to be formed using only the facts of the question as presented:

1. You have one sibling in the building (regardless of which one it is, or how many others you may have.)
2. You can only choose from these: a) save your sibling only, or b) save five strangers only. It doesn't matter why it's either/or....it just is for purposes of this question.

Those are the only parameters that are relevant to answering the question as posed. And my answer would be, I'd save the sibling....because family is paramount, because his/her position in my life dictates that's where my first response should be.

Now......having answered that, food for thought on a possible reason you can't save all six, Heather. A likely scenario: The building is burning, and within 45 seconds, the air inside will be toxic. Anyone not out within those 45 seconds will succumb to smoke inhalation. In those 45 seconds, you can either save all five strangers on the first floor (becuase you can get them all out of the exit in 45 seconds), or you can run up to the third floor and bring your sibling out (using all 45 seconds and having no time left to then retrieve the 5 strangers).

My dog vs. stranger: This one is tougher. One the one hand, save the dog makes sense because the dog cannot save itself, and it has been trained to be dependent on you for its safety. The stranger potentially can save himself.

For me, the answer would be save the stranger. Preserving human life trumps all else. It would likely kill me to leave my dog behind, and in that situation, I don't know if the philosophical reason would hold up. I'd hope it would.

 

[Erin]

1 save sibling
2 save stranger
3 save SO

2 is the question that took me the longest to answer, because it took me so long, I wonder in a desperately time sensitive situation, if that is indeed what I''d choose

 

[Odilia]

Since you explained the reason behind the first 2 questions, I will clarify too, I''d save sibling first and any humans including my worst ''enemy'' (if I had any - or lets just say the person I disliked most or whatever, or complete strangers) over my dog, (don''t have one now but the dog I had in grade/high school was my best friend), simply because humans are more important, even if my emotions would rather save my dog. I was also assuming due to the nature of the question, that the humans couldn''t get out without my help. Of course if they could get out, I''d save my dog. Or if I could save her after all the humans were safe.

 

[Mara]

Hahah, I asked a coworker and she said:

Her sibling and her dog.

For me:

My sibling and my dog.

 

[eks6426]

I would choose the stranger over my pet but it would be really hard.

On the gun issue, my first thought was I''d choose myself if given a choice, but then I realized my son would be left with no biological parents (his dad died). So, I would choose my SO to live.

Another version of this question--choose your SO or your child? I would choose my child.

 

[Mara]

Date: 2/28/2006 3:43:14 PM
Author: XChick03
Okay, two more questions to go, and this is probably the most difficult. Though, I''ve learned from the last few that I need to be more specific, so this one comes with a full scenario.

Imagine you, your significant other, and your absolute best friend have all been kidnapped. The deranged kidnapper has the three of you all tied up, then pulls out a gun and turns to you, he asks you to choose which one you''d rather die. Whoever you choose will be shot and killed on the spot and if you don''t choose one of the two, he''ll kill you all. Who would you choose?

Sorry, its so depressing. It makes me sad just thinking about it.

But now I have to offer a choice that combines both morals and emotions in both options.

I would choose to save Greg, my SO. He has the most impact on my life I guess..I would rather imagine life without my best friend than with the other half of me. I know that sounds sad but those are the options.

 

[sunkist]

MY SIBLING!

 

[Caribou]

Date: 2/28/2006 4:19:41 PM
Author: old-fashioned girl
simply because humans are more important

I think my pets are more important than strangers, to me anyway.

What if the stranger is a murderer, molestor, kidnapper, or just an over all horrible person who serves no purpose in society then to make people miserable. I'm not a very trusting person so it would be hard for me to extend a hand to someone that I don't know...especially if they were able minded.

ETA: That probably makes me sound like a very horrible person lacking compasion but I assure you I am not.

 

[Mara]

Date: 2/28/2006 4:25:12 PM
Author: Caribou

Date: 2/28/2006 4:19:41 PM
Author: old-fashioned girl
simply because humans are more important

I think my pets are more important than strangers, to me anyway.

What if the stranger is a murderer, molestor, kidnapper, or just an over all horrible person who serves no purpose in society then to make people miserable. I''m not a very trusting person so it would be hard for me to extend a hand to someone that I don''t know...especially if they were able minded.

ETA: That probably makes me sound like a very horrible person lacking compasion but I assure you I am not.

Totally what I was thinking and what my coworker said too...aka do you know what kind of life you are saving? Would you give up your helpless dog who depends on you to care for it to help a stranger not knowing a thing about them? I''m assuming adults here of course.

 

[fire&ice]

Also, I wonder how many people who answered they would save their dog lost a human person close to you?