Dark Knight - Boat Scenario - What Would You Do?

Situation: With complete control over the Gotham mob, the Joker announces to the public that anyone left in Gotham at nightfall will be subject to his rule. With the bridges and tunnels out of the city closed due to a warning by the Joker, authorities begin evacuating people by ferry. The Joker has explosives placed on two of the ferries—one ferry with convicts, who were evacuated in an effort to keep the Joker from freeing them, and the other with civilians—telling the passengers the only way to save themselves is to trigger the explosives on the other ferry; otherwise, he will destroy both at midnight.


So... do you pull the trigger?

I choose to make a Shrodinger's Cat and simultaneously pull the trigger and not pull the trigger.

I think this needs to be split into two questions.

1. Do you pull the trigger?

2. Should you pull the trigger?

Jesus Christ wrote:I think this needs to be split into two questions.

1. Do you pull the trigger?

2. Should you pull the trigger?

No, because you're on the boat, you have to do something...

master5o1 wrote:I choose to make a Shrodinger's Cat and simultaneously pull the trigger and not pull the trigger.

without a doubt, the most complicated book I have ever tried to read

that says two things

either I am really bright, ahd the book was for reading levels aged 7 and up

or I am a dumbarse - that could be a poll

oooooo, I'm getting a poll (to the voice of "ohh, I'm getting a clue")

Waireka wrote:

Jesus Christ wrote:I think this needs to be split into two questions.

1. Do you pull the trigger?

2. Should you pull the trigger?

No, because you're on the boat, you have to do something...

That doesn't negate the fact that there is a moral element in all of this quite apart from what we would actually do.

Jesus Christ wrote:

Waireka wrote:

Jesus Christ wrote:I think this needs to be split into two questions.

1. Do you pull the trigger?

2. Should you pull the trigger?

No, because you're on the boat, you have to do something...

That doesn't negate the fact that there is a moral element in all of this quite apart from what we would actually do.

Ahhh but the point there is... do you chuck away your morals if faced with the situation?

Waireka wrote:

Jesus Christ wrote:

Waireka wrote:

Jesus Christ wrote:I think this needs to be split into two questions.

1. Do you pull the trigger?

2. Should you pull the trigger?

No, because you're on the boat, you have to do something...

That doesn't negate the fact that there is a moral element in all of this quite apart from what we would actually do.

Ahhh but the point there is... do you chuck away your morals if faced with the situation?

Ah, but to answer that question, we first need to establish what our morals are!

Jesus Christ wrote:

Waireka wrote:

Jesus Christ wrote:

Waireka wrote:

Jesus Christ wrote:I think this needs to be split into two questions.

1. Do you pull the trigger?

2. Should you pull the trigger?

No, because you're on the boat, you have to do something...

That doesn't negate the fact that there is a moral element in all of this quite apart from what we would actually do.

Ahhh but the point there is... do you chuck away your morals if faced with the situation?

Ah, but to answer that question, we first need to establish what our morals are!

Well your morals should give you your answer, if they don't, then maybe they're not really your morals.

On the one hand a boat full of convicted murderers, rapists, fraudsters etc..
On the other a ferry full of people who have decided to live within societies laws and not relinquish their freedom.
Answer should be pretty simple really. Especially when its your life being taken into account and probably some innocent children as well.

Detonate the convict ferry.

Brokeback wrote:On the one hand a boat full of convicted murderers, rapists, fraudsters etc..
On the other a ferry full of people who have decided to live within societies laws and not relinquish their freedom.
Answer should be pretty simple really. Especially when its your life being taken into account and probably some innocent children as well.

Detonate the convict ferry.

Do you not see the error?

Not really no. Its a different situation. I wouldn't go and bomb a prison just for the fuck of it, but if I was given an ultimatum between a prison and a primary school I most certainly would.

I can't actually say... till I'm on the boat.

Based on the fact that the joker's insane, I don't trigger the detonator because he has almost certainly wired the detonators to the explosives on the boats that the detonators are on, to punish those who so quickly fall for his lies.

Obligatory.

____ wrote:Based on the fact that the joker's insane, I don't trigger the detonator because he has almost certainly wired the detonators to the explosives on the boats that the detonators are on, to punish those who so quickly fall for his lies.

Consider that the only way the people on the boats found out about the explosives and the instructions was by a computerised voice or typed message. Reconsider your option by ignoring the fact that somebody set up us the bomb.

I would do nothing because

a) I can not trust that things are the way that it is stated they are.
b) Even if the claim and statement of intent were honest, there may be an error/fail somewhere.
c) It is a slipery slope to justify killing with "the end justifies the means". Yes it is true that the police etc sometimes save lives by taking others, but they are trained in such decision making - I am not.
d) Even though it could be claimed that by being passive I was responsible for deaths, it was not me that was primarily responsible.
e) There are arguments that doubt civilians should have greater rights to life than convicts. For example, civilians don't need extra time to pay their debts to society and make amends - they can already die in peace. Some civilians are greater criminals than those convicted of minor crime - they have just avoided detection.
f) I don't know if I'm a convict or a civilian in the scenario.

I think the real dilemna is

1) if we blow the boat up, what is the increase in pollution into the harbour, and how much will it cost to clean up?
2) If we blow up the crims, what %age of beds at Mt Eden will become available, and how much $ will this save us?
3) if we blow the boat up, will the joker give us a t-shirt to show to our mates?

Donkeycheese wrote:I think the real dilemna is

1) if we blow the boat up, what is the increase in pollution into the harbour, and how much will it cost to clean up?
2) If we blow up the crims, what %age of beds at Mt Eden will become available, and how much $ will this save us?
3) if we blow the boat up, will the joker give us a t-shirt to show to our mates?

Good point.

Donkeycheese wrote:
3) if we blow the boat up, will the joker give us a t-shirt to show to our mates?

LOL I just got punked by gothams finest criminal and all I got was this stupid shirt.