Lazzy the Spazzy

Actually I originally had Akai as a Bodybuilder but I moved that rank up. xD

Oops, sorry about that MechaFizz. ^^; Fixed.

V, it doesn't count for the celebration (since the celebration has to play a somewhat-significant role; setting, plot, etc.), but it does count for the Writer's Block one.

Can't wait for the full story. ^^

Any girl who says 'rad' is automatically my type, no matter where she comes from.

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As requested, here are a few PR banners for the Project.

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Just in time too, I was just about to post the new exercise. =]

My curiosity incited by your mention of a public figure I lacked knowledge of, I wikipedia'd him. The page's picture gave me quite a scare.

That's a good question.

The simplest approach we can take to this moral quandary is the utilitarian approach. According to the utilitarian theory, whichever action/inaction brings the highest net increase in happiness is the ethical action. Therefore it's pretty clear what utilitarianism dictates: save the five people at the cost of one. The five people will gain in happiness which would be preferred to the other option, which is only one person gaining in happiness at being saved.

But the utilitarian approach has its flaws, so let's use another theory to see if it will yield a different solution. The moral rights theory tells us that in this case the right to life is the moral right that is in question. All six people tied to the track have the right to life -- but because five people's rights to life outweigh one person's right to life, you will also have to flip the switch under this ethical theory -- unfortunately, at the cost of the poor one person.

Let's look at another theory: virtue ethics. Virtue ethics is all about figuring out the person you want to be, and then making actions depending on the standards you set for yourself. In this case, it depends not on the world or the people on the tracks, but on yourself. Do you want to be the type of person who acts for the 'greater good', willingly sacrificing one life for the sake of others? Or do you want to be the type of person who refuses to take a direct hand in the death of a person or people? Depending on which type of person you want to be, you would make that action accordingly.

But virtue ethics also includes the concept of the 'golden mean' -- the idea of setting two extremes for any given situation, and then finding the compromise between the two. In this case the extremes would be action and inaction...the golden mean may be an attempt to save both parties, perhaps by throwing oneself in front of the trolley. However, this is inadvisable -- most likely you would have made your decision already based on the type of person you want to be, and even if you cannot decide, two ethical theories have already told you to flip the switch, so that is the majority.

Now you might be conflicted. No need to worry, as there is another ethical theory we can use in an attempt to elucidate things. The Justice theory states that considerations of what is fair and/or just must come into play in every moral/ethical decision one makes in their lives. For example, do any of the people tied to the track deserve their fate? Is it fair to flip the switch to kill that one person rather than do nothing and let five die? However, Sentence has set the guidelines that in this moral quandary, we do not know any background information about the people tied to the track -- therefore, the Justice theory yields no results here.

But we still need a conclusive path to follow, and it is with this thought that we bring in a final ethical theory: Categorical Imperative. Consider the following: what if everyone did what you did? Let's say you decide to throw the switch and save five at the cost of one. If everyone in the world did what you did in similar situations, we would become a world of people who didn't mind becoming directly responsible of deaths as long as it was for a greater good. Blown to the extreme, we get a frightening image of the atrocities committed during World War 2 -- of people rounding other people into concentration camps 'for the greater good'.

And what if one takes the other path? What if everyone decided that in such a situation, they would not act? We would have a world full of people who would not work actively to the save the lives of others if they had the power to. Do we want a world of selfish people who prefer to keep their hands clean of incidents? Do we want a world of people who, when they witness a crime, turn their head and pretend they saw nothing?

This is a difficult decision indeed, but hopefully the essay written above will help to elucidate matters somewhat and help others decide what they believe would be the most ethical decision in this case.

Good work. You've just completed the first step of the hike.

Don't you mean shoved into the kitchen, not the fridge?

Yeah, I'm not very happy about this either... but who knows, it might get better. *shrugs*

EDIT: Oh, I see. Because she died. =\

Eeeeeeeewwwwwwww....how can someone even eat this? Put it up on display in a museum maybe...

You're a writer too? =D

*is so happy that he understands what Heisenberg Uncertainty Principle means that the other references miss him entirely*

Yep. It's a good feeling.

Thanks!

And sure, Friday. Looking forward to your work Velox.

I'll comment here instead of replying to your message; no rush B6, take your time sending out the prizes.

Thanks Robo. ^^

Wow, what is this? You actually posted too!? Inconceivable! =O

So that's how you do it.

Definition of "glomp", please? Enlighten me.

 

Your Honor,

Emperor Kraggh

Grab

Latch On

Maintain Pressure

It's true. Webster says so.

Or I might last the whole month just to prove you wrong. =P

Wickedness. =O

But I resisted not eating chocolate in front of me for two days, I can resist deliciously tantalizing textual descriptions of chocolate...I think.

I love this. Sorry, Spink, but Sentence's randomized avatar > a picture of your cat, adorable as she may be.

Nicee. How did you do the combined images thing without leaving spaces in between the individual pictures, though?

Well said Grant. Sweet and innocent don't work with me girl, you hurt my brother you're going down.

Thanks Sou. =]

Pshaw. That's old news. 'Course, I've been on the run from those who wish to silence me, so it's a bit of a surprise that the rumors have made their way to your ears earphones.