If faced with a situation in which you can stop a bad thing from happening, and you don't, does that make it a bad deed? Furthermore, what if that bad action you stop from happening also requires a 'bad action' to stop, but also saves good people from harm in the future; is that considered a bad deed?
An example; to save 10 good people from a murderer, you can shoot him point blank range in the head.
A. You killed someone (bad)
B. You saved 10 people (good)
The reason I ask, is I always weigh out pros and cons of every situation I come across and always try to do the good thing - but really, good and bad always comes down the philosophy, which makes me wonder..what is good, what is bad, and can good also be bad?
Discuss.
A question of good vs bad.
-
computathug
- Administrator
- Posts: 2693
- Joined: 29 Mar 2007, 16:00
- 17
- Location: UK
- Contact:
Good concept buddy.
Each and every one of us have our views on what is right or wrong. The funny thing is i have been asked this question before and the answer i gave meant a lot to the board and would also go along way to how my future went.
There are a lot of different outcomes to this question and its down to the first instance of what its about. Its down to your own conscious at the same time. What do you deem beyond reasonable retribution.
I have once been in a situation where someone did something against my sister. The bloke is now serving 12 years in prison but i still wanted revenge. I really felt that nothing but death was what this person deserved. The person attacked 8 other people and if i had found him before the police did.... My feelings towards this haven't changed over the years, i just now realise how cheap life really is. This didn't mean there were not other ways to extract my revenge in which i have no bad feelings what so ever. This can carry on for a long time to come and i shall have great pleasure in doing so. At the exact point of this happening, if you had given me a gun i would have shot him.
This brings me back to your question. If someone was on a rampage with a gun and you had one too, then hell yeah shoot him. If you are doing something you feel is right then yeah, it's a cruel world we live in. What i am a big believer in is what you do this side of life plays a big part in your afterlife.
If i knew someone who was mugging old people, would i do something about it ...yes
If i knew a rapist would i do something about it...yes
If i knew someone who was a paedophile would i do something about it...yes
This brings me to another point. Not everyone is in a position to do something like this. Not everyone has the same incentives to go through things like this. Not everyone has someone to tell or help in situations like this...ie: the victims.
I think its down to the people who can do something to do something and not turn a blind eye and plead ignorance. I am also very anti-law enforcement as i believe it not them and the criminals but them against everyone. As they see it, we are all potential criminals and they soon learn that you cant judge someone by the way they look.
If you know something is happening in your neighbourhood, and know you can stop it and you are in a position too then i think its up to us all as human beings to help control our surroundings. After all we live in our neighbourhoods, not the police so how would they be able to help apart from maybe 3 times a day when they drive through.
To kill someone for simple revenge over something stupid i cant abide by. I am also glad i live in a country where firearms are illegal, even though it isnt hard to get one. Yes it is wrong. Its not the punishment on earth that i fear either!!!
Each and every one of us have our views on what is right or wrong. The funny thing is i have been asked this question before and the answer i gave meant a lot to the board and would also go along way to how my future went.
There are a lot of different outcomes to this question and its down to the first instance of what its about. Its down to your own conscious at the same time. What do you deem beyond reasonable retribution.
I have once been in a situation where someone did something against my sister. The bloke is now serving 12 years in prison but i still wanted revenge. I really felt that nothing but death was what this person deserved. The person attacked 8 other people and if i had found him before the police did.... My feelings towards this haven't changed over the years, i just now realise how cheap life really is. This didn't mean there were not other ways to extract my revenge in which i have no bad feelings what so ever. This can carry on for a long time to come and i shall have great pleasure in doing so. At the exact point of this happening, if you had given me a gun i would have shot him.
This brings me back to your question. If someone was on a rampage with a gun and you had one too, then hell yeah shoot him. If you are doing something you feel is right then yeah, it's a cruel world we live in. What i am a big believer in is what you do this side of life plays a big part in your afterlife.
If i knew someone who was mugging old people, would i do something about it ...yes
If i knew a rapist would i do something about it...yes
If i knew someone who was a paedophile would i do something about it...yes
This brings me to another point. Not everyone is in a position to do something like this. Not everyone has the same incentives to go through things like this. Not everyone has someone to tell or help in situations like this...ie: the victims.
I think its down to the people who can do something to do something and not turn a blind eye and plead ignorance. I am also very anti-law enforcement as i believe it not them and the criminals but them against everyone. As they see it, we are all potential criminals and they soon learn that you cant judge someone by the way they look.
If you know something is happening in your neighbourhood, and know you can stop it and you are in a position too then i think its up to us all as human beings to help control our surroundings. After all we live in our neighbourhoods, not the police so how would they be able to help apart from maybe 3 times a day when they drive through.
To kill someone for simple revenge over something stupid i cant abide by. I am also glad i live in a country where firearms are illegal, even though it isnt hard to get one. Yes it is wrong. Its not the punishment on earth that i fear either!!!
There is no black and white, no yes or no answers. There are plenty of grey areas and exceptions to be made.
Killing is simple, what is complex is how we fuxor the other rules.
You say it is bad to kill. But there is Justifiable Homicide, self-defense - the self-defense does not have to be your own - it can be 10 hostages lives. This is an easy choice for me, 10 lives are worth more than 1.
I would not feel bad shooting a guy in the head that made the deliberate choice to set up the scenario of active shooter/hostage. That criminal will be provided the chance to give up through negotiations - while the victims usually pleads for their life for the gunman's rage.
In a combat field medical outpost, they will triage the wounded by the most salvageable, they assist the guy with the broken arm, and leave the guy with the chest gunshot wound.
In my hospital, there is no assisted suicide. When it comes your time to die, we only have a few lawful, not moral choices to help you die. When you get old or helpless, you are unable to feed yourself, even a drink of water might mean you'll aspirate. So we stop feeding you. We can also stop giving you water via IV and stop your medicines. And we wait, and wait until you die. You can hope for a sudden cardiac death, and not respiratory failure. Respiratory failure means you can be gasping for your breath for hours, or days, until your body gets tired and stops.
Would it be humane to kill in this situation? What if it was your family or other loved one, asking "kill me" - would you help?
When I think about right or wrong choices I try to think long term and for the benefit of others. When people start doing things for themselves, then it usually ends up being wrong. When you do something for another, it ends up being the right thing.
The answer is found only in a lifetime, there is not a final, definitive answer. I had to go through my life so far in trial and error. Life does have a bit of "do unto others before they do unto you", "dog eat dog", and other lessor evils sayings. I never found any organization or person that went strictly by the book. But, it doesn't meant I should stop trying to do the right thing.
The absolute wrong thing in life is to stand by and do nothing.
You have to make the choice -
Do you become a part of the solution or do you be a part of the problem?
DNR
Killing is simple, what is complex is how we fuxor the other rules.
You say it is bad to kill. But there is Justifiable Homicide, self-defense - the self-defense does not have to be your own - it can be 10 hostages lives. This is an easy choice for me, 10 lives are worth more than 1.
I would not feel bad shooting a guy in the head that made the deliberate choice to set up the scenario of active shooter/hostage. That criminal will be provided the chance to give up through negotiations - while the victims usually pleads for their life for the gunman's rage.
In a combat field medical outpost, they will triage the wounded by the most salvageable, they assist the guy with the broken arm, and leave the guy with the chest gunshot wound.
In my hospital, there is no assisted suicide. When it comes your time to die, we only have a few lawful, not moral choices to help you die. When you get old or helpless, you are unable to feed yourself, even a drink of water might mean you'll aspirate. So we stop feeding you. We can also stop giving you water via IV and stop your medicines. And we wait, and wait until you die. You can hope for a sudden cardiac death, and not respiratory failure. Respiratory failure means you can be gasping for your breath for hours, or days, until your body gets tired and stops.
Would it be humane to kill in this situation? What if it was your family or other loved one, asking "kill me" - would you help?
When I think about right or wrong choices I try to think long term and for the benefit of others. When people start doing things for themselves, then it usually ends up being wrong. When you do something for another, it ends up being the right thing.
The answer is found only in a lifetime, there is not a final, definitive answer. I had to go through my life so far in trial and error. Life does have a bit of "do unto others before they do unto you", "dog eat dog", and other lessor evils sayings. I never found any organization or person that went strictly by the book. But, it doesn't meant I should stop trying to do the right thing.
The absolute wrong thing in life is to stand by and do nothing.
You have to make the choice -
Do you become a part of the solution or do you be a part of the problem?
DNR
-
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in Darkness, and Light dwells with him.
He gives wisdom to the wise and knowledge to the discerning. He reveals deep and hidden things; he knows what lies in Darkness, and Light dwells with him.
Hmm
I agree with most that has been said thus far, the longer you live the more you realize that life is less about black and white, and more a series of greys. I don't necessarily believe in a good or an evil, as one defines the other, however I feel that choices we make are judged by us on a scale of morality that has been developed through experience of self, and experience of other. I will never say that killing is right, nor will I say that it is wrong, it's just another decision that may have to be made from time to time. It is the circumstances of that decision that will define it as good or evil to the person and to the masses.
In the scenario presented, you list; kill 1 person, (bad), to save 10 people, (good). I submit that there is not enough information to express one way or another the validity of the murders justification. If the one was a *bad* person, and you kill that person to save 10 people who may or may not be *bad* people as well then things become a little more complicated then a simple exchange of life, 1 for 10.
In the end, your decisions define you, and if you make decisions that define you in a way that you are morally aligned with, then that decision is *good* for you... that doesn't mean it's *good* for all, but you can't live your life pleasing everyone can you? Consequently if your decision is also in moral alignment with society, then it is a socially *right* decision... and if it is morally opposed then you made a *right* decision but it will be judged by the masses as socially *wrong*
I hope that came out like it was supposed to, it has been years lol.
You are right on the count that it is a question of philosophy, I submit to you that it is also a question of morals and ethics... both of which are discovered through experience, and question and resolution, all of which take time to develop.
In the scenario presented, you list; kill 1 person, (bad), to save 10 people, (good). I submit that there is not enough information to express one way or another the validity of the murders justification. If the one was a *bad* person, and you kill that person to save 10 people who may or may not be *bad* people as well then things become a little more complicated then a simple exchange of life, 1 for 10.
In the end, your decisions define you, and if you make decisions that define you in a way that you are morally aligned with, then that decision is *good* for you... that doesn't mean it's *good* for all, but you can't live your life pleasing everyone can you? Consequently if your decision is also in moral alignment with society, then it is a socially *right* decision... and if it is morally opposed then you made a *right* decision but it will be judged by the masses as socially *wrong*
I hope that came out like it was supposed to, it has been years lol.
You are right on the count that it is a question of philosophy, I submit to you that it is also a question of morals and ethics... both of which are discovered through experience, and question and resolution, all of which take time to develop.