Forums → WEPR → Is it morally permissible to kill one innocent person to save the lives of other innocent people?

depends on how many lives and if they are truly inoccent. . . .save the cheerleader, save the world!!!! JK.

@necromancer

Well, isn't that a beautiful look into your soul. But, you're just saying what you're saying. What if it was REAL, would you seriously let 10 people die because of your selfishness. 100? 1,000? These numbers don't even matter, as long as your death saves lives. It's called morality.

You think it is moral to kill, shark? That was pretty contradicting right there. Also, he is saving another person, not selfish at all.

To me, I say it is NOT morally permissable. Sure, this sounds really weird, but I say it is wrong to kill at all. No matter what the situation, be it rape, or this situation.

Now this could twist into a whole different statement. Would you rather kill 1, or 10? Now the obvious answer would be 1, but in this situation, you aren't directly killing 10, 100, or 10,000. You have the choice to kill one, and let the others go, or save the ten thousand and then kill the one.

Now, this will probably never happen at all, but if you have an instance, I would be glad to share my thoughts.

@MrMonkey3-
You're saying that is killing to let the sick hospital patient die, when the only way to save them would be to kill another for their organs. Its not killing to let someone die.

@Shark7996-
First, I don't believe in souls. Second, I strongly believe in the trader principle and selfishness as a virtue (although I am not an Objectivist); I want to have a mutually beneficial trade, one sided trades don't work for me. Morality isn't stupidly sacrificing yourself.

@Estel-
Do you think killing is okay in self-defense?

@necromancer- You dont have to kill another for their organs people die every minute and they donate there organs to hospitals im sure the hospital can use a machine to keep the patient alive untill that happens in which case a natural death actually saves a life. And personally if i could save someones life by giving my own i really dont know i think i would but its one of those things that spur of the moment no one plans on going out and dieing for someone.

I should define something here. There is a difference in murder and killing. Murdering, I see, as all wrong. Killing in self-defense is permissable in my book. I definately forgot to specify on that :P

......i give up

MrMonkey3-
People are on several month long waiting lists for organs, there is a deficiency in them.

@kielzanie- seeing as the baby would die from the soldiers anyways, it wouldn't constitute the same level of immorality to suffocate it.

@necromancer- thats a little different form the scenario i was pictureing i thought you meant that you COULD save them, like the were getting mugged, but you didn't and just let them die. THAT in my opinion is still killing someone.

And unforuanatly your right about the waiting lists

@MrMonkey, I will make you spell better if it's the last thing I do! :P

And at that instance, I would call it a branch of murder. And it depends on the situation. Are you biiger or stronger? Could you possibly get in there and save him/her? Many variables to throw in.

@estel Im sorry about my spelling im using ie and im tired so im not spell shecking like i usually do, and some i just dont know how to spell. (you spelled bigger wrong btw rofl) I dont think it should make a difference even if all you do is call for help it could still make all the difference between the persons life

Im going to bed all so ill answer all the crazy situations you can thorw at me tomorrow. Well maybe its my birthday

Wow, I FAIL.


I'm sure it doesn't matter that he/she died, but I think it does affect the severity of your offense. If you really could not help, then it is not as severe, but if you bench rep 450, and you ignored it, then that would be more severe.