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Moral and logical decisions.

After having a discussion with a group of friends, the topic of moral and logical decisions came up.

If you don't know what I'm talking about, let me explain it.

There are two sets of decisions. There is the moral set; Good and Evil, and then there is the 'logical' set; Logical and Illogical. After arguing long and hard about it, the groups were evenly split, we got no where with it, but we found out a lot about each other.

Personally, I believe that moral decisions, although good in a a few situations, is the illogical way to go about it. Logic leads me to believe that decisions should be made logically, without any moral or emotion causing me to lead to a decision, and only hard logic.

One thing I asked my group went like this, and it's a perfect example.

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Me: Let's say an old granny is crossing the road, and suddenly a car swerves and is about to hit her. You have the chance to save this old woman, but you know, that if you do a child will die because of that choice. What do you do?

Friend that always backed the Morals over logic: I let the Granny get hit.

Me: That is a logical decision. Now let's say the old woman is YOUR grandmother?
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That's when everyone stopped and had to think about it. I believe that if I was in that situation, I'd let her get hit. It's the logical thing to do. Someone who had hardly any life, in exchange for someone who has his life ahead of him. EVEN if the granny is my gran.

What are your views on this?

Why would a child die?

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMM (Post 726618)

Why would a child die?

Because it helps the strawman argument, of course.

Salvanas, I believe you're thinking too hard. Unclench before you pull something.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MMM (Post 726618)

Why would a child die?

It was a simple situation, a simple example. Let's say that this granny would accidently kill this child in some way if she lives.

Koir: Not really thinking too hard. It's interesting to sit down and think about these things. Such things like these exist all the time in the world.

The question for me would also be... Why is the child going to die?
Without knowing that I can`t answer.

I don`t think there is ever a correct answer. The child could have an undetected health condition and die tomorrow. The grandmother may have 20 years of life left.

In reality, even if I knew a child would die if I saved the grandmother (mine or that of another person) I would probably still try to save the grandmother.

As sad and cold as this thinking is - you can make another baby. You can`t make another grandmother.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyororin (Post 726625)

The question for me would also be... Why is the child going to die?
Without knowing that I can`t answer.

I don`t think there is ever a correct answer. The child could have an undetected health condition and die tomorrow. The grandmother may have 20 years of life left.

In reality, even if I knew a child would die if I saved the grandmother (mine or that of another person) I would probably still try to save the grandmother.

As sad and cold as this thinking is - you can make another baby. You can`t make another grandmother.

Let's not nit pick at the tiniest details. It was meant to be a broad question in order to get different answers.

Yes, the granny could live for 20 more years, and the child could have a disorder, but usually, it's not like that. Think of it more broadly, than trying to nit pick at the details.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Salvanas (Post 726627)

Let's not nit pick at the tiniest details. It was meant to be a broad question in order to get different answers.

Yes, the granny could live for 20 more years, and the child could have a disorder, but usually, it's not like that. Think of it more broadly, than trying to nit pick at the details.

There usually isn`t a situation where a child will die if a grandmother is saved. :mtongue:

Anyway - everything after the "In reality" was just that. My honest answer.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyororin (Post 726628)

There usually isn`t a situation where a child will die if a grandmother is saved. :mtongue:

Anyway - everything after the "In reality" was just that. My honest answer.

Would YOU die for your granny Or parents?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nyororin (Post 726628)

There usually isn`t a situation where a child will die if a grandmother is saved. :mtongue:

Anyway - everything after the "In reality" was just that. My honest answer.

Aye, like I said, it was an example situation.

So you believe that moral decisions should be taken over logical ones?

Quote:

Originally Posted by iPhantom (Post 726630)

Would YOU die for your granny Or parents?

No. No questions about it. Nor would I die to save my children.
Yes I`m a terrible and cold person - please don`t feel the need to point it out.

Quote:

So you believe that moral decisions should be taken over logical ones?

No, that isn`t what I meant. My logic is that you can make another child while you cannot make another grandparent or parent. That combined with the likely reflex of simply not wanting to see someone be killed in front of me while I just stood there.