TDK: The Joker's Dilemma
 

Was just randomly re-watching the Dark Knight and the thought crossed my mind that this was already a "moral dilemma" posted on here. But here goes.

For those who haven't seen the film, or aren't sure what I'm talking about, the situation is this:

You are on board a ship rigged with explosives, with around 1000 other civilians and average citizens aboard.

You are told by the terrorist(s) that a 2nd boat, carrying 1000 convicted criminals, is also rigged with explosives.

You are then presented with a detonator, for the other ship's boat. If you press it, the criminals all die (but bear in mind there are also policemen and prison workers escorting them). But the terrorist(s) inform you that the criminals have a detonator for your boat, and are offered the same choice. You are then told that if neither boat chooses to detonate, you will both be blown up.

You have no communication with the other boat as to secure a truce, and you have half an hour to come to a decision. You're the one holding the detonator. What do you do?

disclaimer: you do not know if, like in the Dark Knight, there's a rather honorable burly black criminal who takes the high road and throws the detonator overboard

Honestly, I'd probably want to blow up the convict boat before it blew me up.

Honestly, I'd probably want to blow up the civilian boat before it blew me up.

You're criminally good looking

Well you have no choice but to push it really else youre gonna die.

I'm sure some people would happily blow up a boat full of convicts anyway if we're being honest. Can't say it would bother me too much. :laugh:

But in that situation I don't see another option, so I would have to do it.

No matter what boat i was on, i'd press the
The guilt would be awful yeah, but i'd have to get over it..not only am i saving myself but i'm saving everyone else on board

All my instincts would be screaming to press the button and save my boat but the thought of being responsible for the deaths of 1000 people would be tough but I suppose by doing nothing I would risk the 1000 on my boat or worse 2000 on both boats...so, in short, yeah I'd push the frigging button and blow the crims up :laugh:

That's the problem for me :p Sure they could all be killers... but thieves? Do they deserve death?

The whole idea's designed to prove that - even if you wanted them gone - you'd just be as bad as them if you chose to save yourself

This is Not a news Story Dezzy?

it's a debate green-boy so you watch your mouth son

shred shred shred shred shred

Feck you


This is a movie debate or Chat and Games


Staff Need to Move your Ass

Serious question Arista, why do you get so offended by threads that you feel are in the wrong section?

Serious Debates & News


This is a Great Forum
some staff are letting us all down

To me it would feel like a victimless crime really because all I did was push a button. I didn't see any of those people's faces and I didn't go up to them and murder them by hand. Of course that's all in theory, if this actually happened who knows how I would react? But I don't think I would feel that badly about it, especially when I'd be saving as many lives as I'd taken away.

This is a debate about morality.

all you did was push a button... that detonated a bomb :laugh: it's not really that light a decision LOL

obviously the idea of responsibility for death is debatable because it's the terrorist who's planted the bombs, but I think that's what makes this so interesting, the extent of responsibility here.

I know :laugh: but to me it would just be like "so I press this button and I get to continue living? Great! Where do I sign up?" I've no attachment to the other boat because I've not met any of the people on it so while the concept is overwhelming if you think about it; I think I would be very reactionary and just go ahead and do it.

Unless it actually happened and I turn out to be a pussy about it, idk

I'd have to bear in mind that there are levels of conviction, and some people enjoy prison because they have no where else to turn to. So that would upset me when making the decision. They're not any less human than us.

However, if I was put under that pressured situation I would have to blow up the other boat. My fear of death is too strong to take my own life in favour of others.

"about morality"


Fecking Ain't

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morality

No I suppose deciding whether to save yourself or kill others is more of a playground thing, how silly of me

Kill?


Its about a Film