Would you sacrifice a life to save ten?

[Johann]

trashleg said:

Johann said:

trashleg said:

Johann said:

trashleg said:

Johann said:
Everyone wants to be the hero... this is so fucking typical. I hate humanity.
Surely you wouldn't send somebody to their death, cuz that wouldn't look cool, but you're fully prepared to give up your life, right? Selfish hypocrites...

but someone who would send another to his death, while he himself avoids the situation, is a coward. fair enough if he says "i wouldnt go in there, so i wouldnt expect anyone else to go in either", but if he's protecting himself whilst sending in others, thats just selfish.

And wanting to die a hero isn't?

its not heroics, its called valuing human life.

If it was just about valuing life, it wouldn't matter if it were you or somebody else.

Have you ever heard of ethical egoism?

but to make such a decision over that person's life, to assume that such a decision is your own to make, also seems a bit off to me.

no i haven't, can you explain it to me?

I thought this was all assuming that the person would know that their giving up their life.

 

Anyway, for the egoism thing, it's related to the notion that there are no (completely) selfless good deeds. You wouldn't do something nice for someone else for absolutely no reward, even if the reward is feeling good about yourself.

Edit: I just checked wikipedia, and apparently I was confusing ethical egoism with psychological egoism. Sorry about that.