?philosophy riddle type question. Who can solve?a

A ship has sunk in ocean without being able to send a distress signal. Only one life boat was able to get away and you are the ranking officer, as well as the most experience person in the boat and MUST STAY in it. You are in charge.

The boat was designed to only carry 20 people. There are 30 people in or hanging on the boat. This includes:

Yourself
18 healthy adults (20-30 years old)
A pregnant woman, 9 months along
A couple in their early 70's
an infant, 3 months old
2 children, 12 and 13, both are injured
5 adults all of whom have major injuries


A storm is coming and if all of the people stay in or even hang onto the side of the boat, the boat will sink and everyone will drown. You MUST HAVE at least 17 strong people to row the boat during the storn so it will not capsize. You wil NOT be rescued before the storm hits. Anyone put over the side WILL DROWN.

Decide what to do based on a MORAL PRINCIPLE. 1. choose a principle. 2 describe the principle and explain how your decision follows from that principle.

Let's see who get's it :smoke:

I did this when I was high, but I want to see if anyone gets the same thing as me or if anyone gets a better response

I'd take 75% woman after the babies are on board, and the rest men.

Women are more important to our survival for obvious reasons.

I guess the moral principle(probably nothing moral about it) would be equality, Utilitarianism, and necessity. Everyone besides the pregnant woman, because she counts as two lives, I see as having equal value despite age or injury. I also don't see much harm in letting the infant on board since he/she probably doesn't weigh that much. This leaves 18 free spots since I and the pregnant woman would get be safe. I would first do some kind of lotto for 16 or 15(depending on whether or not the pregnant woman is strong enough to help row) of the healthy people since there is a necessity for strong enough people to row. I then would do a lotto for the remaining people for the last 2 or 3 spots to give them a somewhat equal chance.

Do the rowers count as people aboard the boat? Actually, do they need to row the boat while staying aboard the boat? Can they alternate between swimming alongside the boat and rowing?

Hell. They're all gonna die of hypothermia or something else. So you might as well load the kids, the infant and the pregnant lady, the rest of them would just be dead weight. The five critically injured adults would probably die due to lack of emergency care and therefore should be taken out of their misery. The elderly couple have lived full lives and could also be taken out of their misery, as they could never brave the elements. So that's four people who would be carried with the boat, leaving space for fifteen of the 18 healthy adults to row the boat. And they will be chosen based on their strength, stamina and experience in either the army, navy or any other survival based training. If it comes down to it then someone would be picked based on their body mass, for the necessary survival of the pack, in case a uninhabited island was to be reached.

Edited by tHe LoNLy StOnR, 28 May 2012 - 12:26 PM.

What moral principle? Id take All of the strong, healthy men and leave the rest.

What moral principle? Id take All of the strong, healthy men and leave the rest.

(Uh, in case you didn't notice, you just created a morale principle of "only the strong survive"...)

(Uh, in case you didn't notice, you just created a morale principle of "only the strong survive"...)

Only the useful survive when it's SHTF.

Im thinking, the pregnant woman, the two injured children and 16 healthy adults.
Its says you NEED 17 strong people to row(myself and 16 others), the pregant woman actually carries two and the children have a life to live, and they could potentialy help with a task.

Im thinking, the pregnant woman, the two injured children and 16 healthy adults.
Its says you NEED 17 strong people to row(myself and 16 others), the pregant woman actually carries two and the children have a life to live, and they could potentialy help with a task.

It says 17 strong people are reqiured to row the boat during the storm or it will csapsize, take less and that and everyone will go over board and likely perish at sea in a storm.

It says 17 strong people are reqiured to row the boat during the storm or it will csapsize, take less and that and everyone will go over board and likely perish at sea in a storm.

No one has got it quite yet. You can't be one of the rowers, you are in charge:smoke:

Fuck that. Me and 10 bitches live everyone else is shark bait.

can anyone further explain utilitarianism ?

can anyone further explain utilitarianism ?

Utilitarianism is an ethical theory holding that the proper course of action is the one that maximizes the overall "happiness".

Draw straws.

can anyone further explain utilitarianism ?

It's a philosopher's way of saying the ends justify the means.

Ask if anyone wants to sacrifice themselves?

It's been three days and still no one gave a suitable answer, so I think it's time to reveal the answer, OP.

Make everybody bribe you for a spot. The people with the best bribe win.

/thread.


JK

I'd flip a coin