No, but you are obligated to beat up the editor of this book for leaving”effect” in the question, when it should say “affect.” Unless he meant to say that this act will not cause Hitler’s rise to power. Then I guess it’s OK.
Where’s the option to staple Hitler’s nutsack to the back of his throat?
Dragyn (#4651)
13 years ago
Ethically obligated? No. Morally obligated? I’d say yes. Ethically, you shouldn’t take it, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love that shit in retrospect. Or love telling other people that story later. Just imagine the one smart ass old man in a nursing home telling his kids “YEA! I was the asshole that stole HITLER’S WALLET!”
Generally speaking, ethics tend to refer to a societies system of belief, whereas morals refer to ones personal beliefs about right & wrong. Society tells us that stealing is wrong, regardless of our personal opinions about the victim (otherwise politicians in general would be robbed on a daily basis). Dragyn’s personal morals, on the other hand, say that in particular cases, it’s ok to steal from someone just to fuck up their day. Whoever wrote the question in that book clearly screwed up on their definitions, since there is no ethical dilemma, though there is perhaps a moral one.
Ethics vs. morality aside, the question is still poorly worded, since it is ambiguous as to whether or not we have advanced knowledge of what Hitler will do in the years to come. If we do know, the question boils down to “Is it ethical/moral to do bad things to bad people?”. If we don’t know, it boils down to “Is it ethical/moral to do bad things to some guy?”.
What? No. Why would you be ethically obligated to break social contract, even if you don’t like the person? Particularly if it won’t stop any of their actions that meet your disapproval – it’s not punishment for a wrong if the person doesn’t know the purpose of the action. This would be just stealing for the sake of stealing, an act which is by most social standardsethically wrong.
You’d not be morally obligated either.
Also, pretty much what AgZed said about poor wording and questions of advanced knowledge.
Damnit duck, I just submitted this
No.
“No, you idiot.”
FTFY
No, but you are obligated to beat up the editor of this book for leaving”effect” in the question, when it should say “affect.” Unless he meant to say that this act will not cause Hitler’s rise to power. Then I guess it’s OK.
Slightly more dumb than all other moral dilemmas.
“So, Hitler started the Holocaust because he thought some Jew stole his wallet in 1933, huh?”
Where’s the option to staple Hitler’s nutsack to the back of his throat?
Ethically obligated? No. Morally obligated? I’d say yes. Ethically, you shouldn’t take it, but that doesn’t mean I wouldn’t love that shit in retrospect. Or love telling other people that story later. Just imagine the one smart ass old man in a nursing home telling his kids “YEA! I was the asshole that stole HITLER’S WALLET!”
Are you operating under different definitions of Ethical and Moral? Because, I think most of us believe they mean the same thing.
Generally speaking, ethics tend to refer to a societies system of belief, whereas morals refer to ones personal beliefs about right & wrong. Society tells us that stealing is wrong, regardless of our personal opinions about the victim (otherwise politicians in general would be robbed on a daily basis). Dragyn’s personal morals, on the other hand, say that in particular cases, it’s ok to steal from someone just to fuck up their day. Whoever wrote the question in that book clearly screwed up on their definitions, since there is no ethical dilemma, though there is perhaps a moral one.
Ethics vs. morality aside, the question is still poorly worded, since it is ambiguous as to whether or not we have advanced knowledge of what Hitler will do in the years to come. If we do know, the question boils down to “Is it ethical/moral to do bad things to bad people?”. If we don’t know, it boils down to “Is it ethical/moral to do bad things to some guy?”.
fuck yeah
STEAL THAT SHIT MOTHERFUCKER. YOU NEED THOSE 40 REICHSMARKS FOR BEER AND BRATWURST.
What? No. Why would you be ethically obligated to break social contract, even if you don’t like the person? Particularly if it won’t stop any of their actions that meet your disapproval – it’s not punishment for a wrong if the person doesn’t know the purpose of the action. This would be just stealing for the sake of stealing, an act which is by most social standardsethically wrong.
You’d not be morally obligated either.
Also, pretty much what AgZed said about poor wording and questions of advanced knowledge.