What would you do?

[Lucidus]

I rather enjoy examining moral dilemmas and thought experiments and came across these recently:


Moral Dilemma
If you think that killing innocent people is generally wrong, and had to pick from the following two options, which would you choose :

Kill an innocent person and have no memory of it for the rest of your life,
or not kill an innocent person but think you had for the rest of you life?

Thought Experiment
Suppose there were an experience machine that would give you any experience you desired. Neuropsychologists could stimulate your brain so that you would think and feel you were writing a great novel, or making a friend, or reading an interesting book. All the time you would be floating in a tank, with electrodes attached to your brain. Should you plug into this machine for life, preprogramming your life experiences? Of course, while in the tank you won't know that you're there; you'll think that it's all actually happening. Would you plug in?


If you have any interesting moral dilemmas or thought experiments, please share.

[fredtoast]

(05-17-2019, 02:50 PM)Lucidus Wrote: Moral Dilemma
If you had to pick from the following two options:

Kill an innocent person and have no memory of it for the rest of your life,
or not kill an innocent person but think you had for the rest of you life?

Trick question.

If you don't care about killing an innocent person then either option is fine.

[fredtoast]

(05-17-2019, 02:50 PM)Lucidus Wrote: Thought Experiment
Suppose there were an experience machine that would give you any experience you desired. Neuropsychologists could stimulate your brain so that you would think and feel you were writing a great novel, or making a friend, or reading an interesting book. All the time you would be floating in a tank, with electrodes attached to your brain. Should you plug into this machine for life, preprogramming your life experiences? Of course, while in the tank you won't know that you're there; you'll think that it's all actually happening. Would you plug in?

Blue pill every time.

My reality is just my perception of reality and even right now I am not sure I am perceiving what is really happening.

[Lucidus]

(05-17-2019, 03:40 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Trick question.

If you don't care about killing an innocent person then either option is fine.

It was meant in the context of valuing an innocent life, which evidently I should have specified and not assumed would be apparent. I will note that in the OP. For those who don't care about killing innocent people, the question is really not for you. 

[oncemoreuntothejimbreech]

(05-17-2019, 03:40 PM)fredtoast Wrote: Trick question.

If you don't care about killing an innocent person then either option is fine.

Great, you broke the experiment. LOL

[fredtoast]

(05-17-2019, 03:47 PM)Lucidus Wrote: It was meant in the context of valuing an innocent life, which evidently I should have specified and not assumed would be apparent. I will note that in the OP. For those who don't care about killing innocent people, the question is really not for you. 

There is only one option for people who value an innocent life.


I thought the test was to see who valued their own feelings more than an innocent life. 

[Beaker]

(05-17-2019, 02:50 PM)Lucidus Wrote: I rather enjoy examining moral dilemmas and thought experiments and came across these recently:


Moral Dilemma
If you think that killing innocent people is generally wrong, and had to pick from the following two options, which would you choose :

Kill an innocent person and have no memory of it for the rest of your life,
or not kill an innocent person but think you had for the rest of you life?

Would you be prosecuted for the death? If so that changes the consideration. It would be mental torture to be convicted for a crime you have no recollection of committing. Sitting in prison for life, or being executed for a crime you think you did not commit makes the first option far less appealing.

[CJD]

What is the context of the latter? In this fake memory, did I kill them by murdering them or by accident? Was I at fault, or were they? (like, was I driving and they ran out in front of my car, or was I drunk driving and crashed into their car?)

Did I know this person? Or was it just some random person I killed (in either the former or latter case).

It's difficult for me to answer this question, as the definition of "valuing innocent life" is unclear.

Like, for example, I believe I, generally, value innocent life. I watch the news and I see the children who are shot at schools and think it's terrible. But, at the same time, I don't really believe in the "sanctity of life" as much as many religious people do.

Like, given this choice I went, immediately, to the former. Almost without even thinking twice. So maybe I don't value innocent life at all.

Who is the judge of such things?