A Test on Morality

[Stigweard]

Here's an interesting test on morality. The two questions are mirror images to each other.

 

Once you have answered the poll, add a comment on why you made your decision.

[karen]

I'll say none of the above, or not applicable

 

If you're living in a morality consciousness then you have to make one of those choices, according to which one you think has the effect of doing the most good for the least harm. You always have to judge the good/harm ratio, in an abstract way. The intellect loves this .

 

But if you're living in a truly ethical consciousness, you don't make those judgments at all. In the moment, when a situation arises where you're engaged in decision making, you draw from a deeper source than morals - your true ethical self.

 

The true self engages the situation in a living way, rather than thinking about abstract situations which is rather like planning how you're going to have sex next time . The kind of engagement the ethical self makes is the same kind of intimacy. And a different kind of knowing arises from that, that's not a moral judgment at all.

 

-Karen

[Stigweard]

I'll say none of the above, or not applicable

 

If you're living in a morality consciousness then you have to make one of those choices, according to which one you think has the effect of doing the most good for the least harm. You always have to judge the good/harm ratio, in an abstract way. The intellect loves this .

 

But if you're living in a truly ethical consciousness, you don't make those judgments at all. In the moment, when a situation arises where you're engaged in decision making, you draw from a deeper source than morals - your true ethical self.

 

The true self engages the situation in a living way, rather than thinking about abstract situations which is rather like planning how you're going to have sex next time . The kind of engagement the ethical self makes is the same kind of intimacy. And a different kind of knowing arises from that, that's not a moral judgment at all.

 

-Karen

 

 

Hehehe .... *stands and applauds*

 

I totally agree ... BRAVO!

Edited January 16, 2008 by Sifu Stigweard

[sean]

You might also enjoy:

Lifeboat ethics

 

Sean

[neimad]

"Do nothing"

 

"Let the five people die"

 

 

Who am I to interfere?

 

 

Oh and I do think about how I am going to have sex next time.... I often plan the time and location ahead of time so as to 'surprise' my girlfriend.

 

[steve]

I'll say none of the above, or not applicable

 

If you're living in a morality consciousness then you have to make one of those choices, according to which one you think has the effect of doing the most good for the least harm. You always have to judge the good/harm ratio, in an abstract way. The intellect loves this .

 

But if you're living in a truly ethical consciousness, you don't make those judgments at all. In the moment, when a situation arises where you're engaged in decision making, you draw from a deeper source than morals - your true ethical self.

 

The true self engages the situation in a living way, rather than thinking about abstract situations which is rather like planning how you're going to have sex next time . The kind of engagement the ethical self makes is the same kind of intimacy. And a different kind of knowing arises from that, that's not a moral judgment at all.

 

-Karen

I am compelled to quote Karen's response again.

Very well said.

[thelerner]

Dittos on the wisdom of Karen's answer.

 

Truthfully I'd probably do nothing. In the back of my mind I'd realize I don't know the future, I don't really know whats going to happen and I couldn't put in place conditions that would kill an innocent person on a might be.

 

Or maybe I need better then 5 to 1 odds

 

Michael

[Taiji Bum]

I threw myself in front of the train and let the man in the waiting room live.

[rain]

I threw myself in front of the train and let the man in the waiting room live.

 

so did i, but let's keep it a secret.

 

because... we know it is a mental set up

but mind likes to play...

Edited January 17, 2008 by rain

[Stigweard]

bump for fun

[Mal]

Nice dichotomy, and I'm the only person accidentally bumping the fat man

no excuse, spontaneous choice rather than a cheating intellectual answer, but I do plan sex

[phore]

I chose to let 5 people die each time.

Its the only choice that really makes me feel good, or more like absent of bad

 

train

let 5 people die- i dont really want to get involved in this situation, I dont know the right answer. That fat man is standing over there maybe he'll do something. why are 6 people stuck on the tracks anyways!!!

 

let one person die- theres no right answer so maybe ill just kill this guy.

 

push the fat man- while screaming "He who hesitates is lost!"

 

throw myself in- WHAT? GOOD KARMA?

Edited January 31, 2009 by phore

[rookie]

In reality I would act spontaneously in an emergency. Can't really say what I would do until I am there. With cold hearted calculation I diverted the train to zap the one guy. Maybe I can warn him and one guy gets off the tracks faster than five would.

 

In the needing an organ situation there is no interference. There are too many other variables and this would really be playing god.

 

This reminds me of another situation that happened here.

 

A dump truck exited the freeway and the brakes failed. As it came speeding down the off ramp the driver tried to veer away from traffic, but couldn't really miss everyone. A driver across the stoplight saw the truck coming right at him and drove throught the red light to get out of the way. The car next to him had no line of sight to the approaching truck which crushed and killed that person.

 

No real lesson here, or time to make any choices. Only reactions.

 

 

Do you believe in chance?

Does it matter?

[Apech]

I took the five terminally ill people from the second question and threw them onto the railway line in the first question. After being hit by the train the five people stopped asking for new organs - so I released the healthy guy to get on with the rest of his life - free from guilt. The six people I saved on the railway lines took me out for a drink to celebrate but got upset when I said that having spent the evening with them I was beginning to think I had made a bad decision ... how's that for ungrateful? eh?

[Ya Mu]

I agree with Karen.

 

We do possess the ability, by tuning in to the Higher Level Self, to make the best decision at any given NOW. The brain oriented not-real self would have an extremely difficult choice to make and couldn't have enough information to make the best choice NOW. Furthermore, I suggest that at any particular NOW the best choice could be different.

[joeblast]

five to one, baby, one to 5. insufficient data to formulate an answer on that - per givens, the one guy isnt a guarantee to be killed, doesnt say he's trapped like the other 5 are. so it becomes a kobiashi maru in a sense...until the real thing is there, there's no telling how all of the myriad unmentionables here will add up

also...this is a TRAIN we're talking about. I dont care how fat this man is, he's not going to stop it, and neither can you, unless you've REALLY got some serious attainment to your cultivation.

 

the patients...sorry folks, there's a line already for new organs. if it is in these patients karma to have their life extended, then they will receive the necessary organ through other (normal, proper) means. it would be completely unacceptable to kill the man to save the others, unless of course he basically offered to sacrifice himself.

[Aetherous]

1) Hit the switch.

 

2) Don't kill the guy, and let the others die.

[ralis]

Has anyone seen "The Dark Knight"? There are several scenes in that movie that the Joker sets up to force these types of situational ethics. Interesting seeing how the characters responded in each situation.

 

ralis

[phore]

Has anyone seen "The Dark Knight"? There are several scenes in that movie that the Joker sets up to force these types of situational ethics. Interesting seeing how the characters responded in each situation.

 

ralis

 

Yes, the boat sequence comes to mind.

 

I thought that it was funny how the general opinion of gotham was ruled by nothing other than mob psychology,

the general public seems quick to forget things.

Edited February 1, 2009 by phore

[joeblast]

Yes, the boat sequence comes to mind.

 

I thought that it was funny how the general opinion of gotham was ruled by nothing other than mob psychology,

the general public seems quick to forget things.

funny how it mirrors real life in some aspects, and then blatantly not in others

[ralis]

After reading the news today, this planet is starting to resemble Gotham City. Looks like the Joker (chaos) is doing his thing.

 

ralis