Killing vs letting die

Author: TheUnderdog

Posts

Total: 5
TheUnderdog
TheUnderdog's avatar
Debates: 5
Posts: 4,340
3
5
10
TheUnderdog's avatar
TheUnderdog
3
5
10
Trolley problem indicates most people (myself included) would kill one person to save 5.  This means it's acceptable to cause harm if you prevent more of it.  This position is defined as pro intervention.

Homeless problem (is it better to refuse to give a homeless person food and let them die painfully or shoot them in the back of the head, ending their pain?) indicates that most people prefer painfully letting someone die vs killing them painlessly.  This means it's acceptable to cause harm if you prevent more of it.  This position is defined as anti intervention.

What is the difference between these 2 situations?  The trolley problem requires less sacrifice than the homeless problem.

Low sacrifice = Pro intervention.  High sacrifice = Anti intervention.

The abortion debate is certainly very high sacrifice, so it takes the anti-intervention position (it's better to painfully let someone die than to painlessly kill someone).  So when people say, "How come pro lifers only want to prevent fetal death and not the death of foster kids?", well now you know why.  They believe letting someone die (poorly funded foster care) painfully is not as bad as painlessly killing someone (abortion).

Savant
Savant's avatar
Debates: 23
Posts: 1,999
3
7
6
Savant's avatar
Savant
3
7
6
-->
@TheUnderdog
letting someone die (poorly funded foster care)
The death rate from abortion (almost 100%) is significantly higher than the death rate from poorly funded foster care. Much like not giving a homeless person food is less likely to kill them than shooting them in the head.
Best.Korea
Best.Korea's avatar
Debates: 357
Posts: 10,618
4
6
10
Best.Korea's avatar
Best.Korea
4
6
10
I would have moral issues with that. I dont believe killing people is right, even if it saves more people. Kinda like how I dont believe that if 20 people end up on an island with no food, that 19 gets to kill and eat 1 because it saves their lives. Often times, death is preferable to living by violating someone. Same way, I dont believe that women should be in forced marriages, even if those increase birth rates thus save greater number of future generations and enable them to live. I also dont believe person in great pain should be forced to live just because it saves his life.
TheUnderdog
TheUnderdog's avatar
Debates: 5
Posts: 4,340
3
5
10
TheUnderdog's avatar
TheUnderdog
3
5
10
-->
@Savant
Good point.  So then your argument would be, "When a high chance of preventing death, killing and letting die are equivilant.  With a low chance of death, killing is worse than letting die."
Savant
Savant's avatar
Debates: 23
Posts: 1,999
3
7
6
Savant's avatar
Savant
3
7
6
-->
@TheUnderdog
Well, killing with a high chance of death is worse than letting die with a low chance of death, if those are your only two options.