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  LiveWire / Teen Forums / The Intellectual Forum / Viewing Topic

A really difficult moral question (intellectuals)
Replies: 18Last Post Sep. 30, 2008 5:14pm by Assaultrifle
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( noraa )


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There is a fork in the road of a train track. The train has always gone on one end of the track, but you now have a lever controlling which way the train goes. Five of your close family members/close friends besides your mom are walking on the road where the train has always gone fully aware of it. Your mother is walking on the other end of the train tracks, thinking that the train won't come her direction.

Either way, somebody will die, they don't have time to jump off of the tracks.

Do you pull the lever?


7:47 pm on Sep. 9, 2008 | Joined: Sep. 2007 | Days Active: 449
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barnabas


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why is that a difficult decision. Save more people.

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Do not abandon yourselves to despair.
We are the Easter people and hallelujah is our song.

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7:48 pm on Sep. 9, 2008 | Joined: Nov. 2004 | Days Active: 1,252
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exceedinglyrare


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There's already a topic that's almost exactly like this.

There's also the fact that ethical dilemmas are made of fail. You're never going to be in a situation like this; they only serve to make you beat yourself (or have others beat you up) for no good reason.

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Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after


7:50 pm on Sep. 9, 2008 | Joined: Oct. 2005 | Days Active: 1,128
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dragonxgnome4


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I don't really think this is an intellectual question, it's more emotional. I would let my mother die. But, I guess this question has more effect for someone with a good relationship with their mothers, then its just a question of math really. Saving more lives of people just as important.

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marshmellowman


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This is not even an intellectual question but just plays on ridiculous ethical dilemmas.

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and victorious in war shall be made glorious in peace.

7:50 pm on Sep. 9, 2008 | Joined: Feb. 2007 | Days Active: 764
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senorita smirnoff


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this is stupid,  they wouldnt be walking on the track, they know the train goes there, theyd be off partying with the mother.... duh

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you end up eating bread from the bag, dipped in anything runnier than bread.

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the real anti christ


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Based on the fact that the five people are fully aware and your mom is not you do not change the course.

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Out of smoke then he appears

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9:03 pm on Sep. 9, 2008 | Joined: Dec. 2002 | Days Active: 1,346
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allsmiles


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I don't understand... why aren't ethical dilemmas intellectual? Morality is a large part of what makes us human. Studying and comprehending it is quite significant.

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When they leave you, they're in tears.

4:23 am on Sep. 10, 2008 | Joined: Aug. 2007 | Days Active: 576
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Quote: from allsmiles at 7:23 am on Sep. 10, 2008

I don't understand... why aren't ethical dilemmas intellectual? Morality is a large part of what makes us human. Studying and comprehending it is quite significant.

First because they don't honestly reflect what people would really do in that kind of situation because those situations simply don't exist. Second because the responses are rarely based on logic and reasoning and usually based on an emotional response, whether people want to admit to that or not.

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Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after


4:44 am on Sep. 10, 2008 | Joined: Oct. 2005 | Days Active: 1,128
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nikki


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If you were in this kind of situation, you would NOT have time to even think about it. It's a split-second decision, however you want to look at it. Nobody here can say they know what they'd do.

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Quote: from Nikki at 12:35 pm on Sep. 10, 2008

If you were in this kind of situation, you would NOT have time to even think about it. It's a split-second decision, however you want to look at it. Nobody here can say they know what they'd do.

There's that, too.

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Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after


10:25 am on Sep. 10, 2008 | Joined: Oct. 2005 | Days Active: 1,128
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playboyfreak456


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I would choose to save my close family. I love my mom and all, but my other family memembers have had more of an impact on my life.

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Fuuck what yo mama say,, Imma vote Obama way!

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the real anti christ


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Quote: from playboyfreak456 at 1:55 pm on Sep. 10, 2008

I would choose to save my close family. I love my mom and all, but my other family memembers have had more of an impact on my life.
But they know what they are doing and she dosen't

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Master of disguise.

12:11 pm on Sep. 10, 2008 | Joined: Dec. 2002 | Days Active: 1,346
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Drace


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To put my piece on it.

Mortality does not exist and its just a matter of whatever the hell happens.

For mortality to make sense, you must have the "end goal". That is, what it is that we are suppose to achieve. If it is a peaceful humane society, the question is whether that moral lets us achieve this.

For this situation, its quite tricky.
You must find what you think is best of the result, and go with that.

Mortality is not an entity you can point at.


8:07 pm on Sep. 11, 2008 | Joined: Sep. 2008 | Days Active: 3
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medjai



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This is only difficult if you assume absolute morals. I don't, I'd do whatever I felt I'd regret least at the time.

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O` tru apothecary!
Thy drugs are quick.
Thus with a kiss I die.

8:18 pm on Sep. 11, 2008 | Joined: Nov. 2003 | Days Active: 1,605
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