Hypothetical Moral Question

Twisp · #1 07-24-2009, 10:00 PM

I was watching a movie today. 5 astronauts had crashed landed on Mars. Their positions broke down to the commander, a geologist, an astrobiologist, an engineer, and a doctor. Rescue would take a year to get there. There were enough resources for 2 people to live for a little over a year. 5 people could only live for 6 months. The commander had the doctor and the engineer stay, since they were the most vital. The engineer could keep the systems running and the doctor could keep both of them healthy until rescue arrived. The other three people volunteered to put on their space suits and leave, effectively committing killing themselves. Feel free to replace Mars within a location currently realistic.

Question: would this be considered suicide, and would you be able to morally do it to save the mission?

I know, useless question, but an interesting one, I think.

Irreligious · #2 07-24-2009, 11:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Twisp

I was watching a movie today. 5 astronauts had crashed landed on Mars. Their positions broke down to the commander, a geologist, an astrobiologist, an engineer, and a doctor. Rescue would take a year to get there. There were enough resources for 2 people to live for a little over a year. 5 people could only live for 6 months. The commander had the doctor and the engineer stay, since they were the most vital. The engineer could keep the systems running and the doctor could keep both of them healthy until rescue arrived. The other three people volunteered to put on their space suits and leave, effectively committing killing themselves. Feel free to replace Mars within a location currently realistic.

Question: would this be considered suicide, and would you be able to morally do it to save the mission?

I know, useless question, but an interesting one, I think.

I'm just really bothered by the fact you watched a movie. How could you? What if the rapture had taken place white you were watching a Hollywood production?

No THERE'S the moral dilemma...will one go to heaven if one is watching TV when the rapture takes place?

But for posting a thread concerning a Hollywood production, you should be thrown off AFF!!

Aquila · #3 07-25-2009, 01:14 AM

Soldiers have often taken up roles that were essentially suicide to increase the likelihood of mission accomplishment.

I'm reminded of a story about a nuclear physicist. While in the lab a piece of radio active material was suddenly exposed. To protect the group he grabbed it and isolated it fully knowing that the radiation he's absorb would kill him. He later died of radiation poisoning and cancer. But he saved the lives of his colleagues.

Jesus would be the primary example of one who willingly died to save others.

I don't think it's "suicide" in the sense that we understand it.

hometown guy · #4 07-25-2009, 02:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Irreligious

I'm just really bothered by the fact you watched a movie. How could you? What if the rapture had taken place white you were watching a Hollywood production?
Hell bound

No THERE'S the moral dilemma...will one go to heaven if one is watching TV when the rapture takes place?
NO

But for posting a thread concerning a Hollywood production, you should be thrown off AFF!!

Your thinking of another forum

Jermyn Davidson · #5 07-25-2009, 02:56 AM

So if one commits suicide, but the well-being of others is the driving force behind that suicide, then that suicide is not "unrepented of" murder, and therefore, not sinful?

What about old people who kill themselves because they no longer want to be a burden to their spouse or primary caregiver(s)? Are they now safe to kill themselves at will?

They have the good of their loved ones at heart and one less sickly elderly person is one less medical responsibility that tax payers will not have to subsidize.

Maybe that's the key to solving the nation's economic woes-- every person who is a drain to society financially should just kill themselves for the good of the nation!

Can you imagine....

TJJJ · #6 07-25-2009, 08:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jermyn Davidson

So if one commits suicide, but the well-being of others is the driving force behind that suicide, then that suicide is not "unrepented of" murder, and therefore, not sinful?

What about old people who kill themselves because they no longer want to be a burden to their spouse or primary caregiver(s)? Are they now safe to kill themselves at will?

They have the good of their loved ones at heart and one less sickly elderly person is one less medical responsibility that tax payers will not have to subsidize.

Maybe that's the key to solving the nation's economic woes-- every person who is a drain to society financially should just kill themselves for the good of the nation!

Can you imagine....

Jermyn

You might not be as far off as you think. Britain is getting very close to assisted suicides, other nations are already there.

With this new health plan in place by your president it might just be one of the options.

CC1 · #7 07-25-2009, 08:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aquila

Soldiers have often taken up roles that were essentially suicide to increase the likelihood of mission accomplishment.

I'm reminded of a story about a nuclear physicist. While in the lab a piece of radio active material was suddenly exposed. To protect the group he grabbed it and isolated it fully knowing that the radiation he's absorb would kill him. He later died of radiation poisoning and cancer. But he saved the lives of his colleagues.

Jesus would be the primary example of one who willingly died to save others.

I don't think it's "suicide" in the sense that we understand it.

I agree 100%. Giving one's life to save another or many other lives is not suicide. It is taking action that results in ones death but without one wishing death to be the result of the action.

Sam · #8 07-25-2009, 10:16 AM

My wife often says that we treat our pets more humanely than we treat our fellow humans. We have a pet "put to sleep" when they have something incurable so they can "avoid suffering" or to "put them out of their misery" but we do not do that for our family members when they are in those circumstances.

Sam · #9 07-25-2009, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TJJJ

Jermyn

You might not be as far off as you think. Britain is getting very close to assisted suicides, other nations are already there.

With this new health plan in place by your president it might just be one of the options.

Assisted Suicide has been voted on in some of our states. I don't remember which ones and what the results have been.

Holland has used a system of euthanization for some time to clear out nursing homes and make room for new residents. From what I understand the decision of who to eliminate/kill is made by a physician or administrator and the patient has no say in the matter and is not informed of the action. I don't know if family members are informed either before or after the action.

Irreligious · #10 07-25-2009, 10:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by hometown guy

[/B]Your thinking of another forum

I'm sure you're already aware of this, but just in case......I was being just SLIGHTLY sarcastic.

Can I just ask...is there the suggestion here that any person who commits suicide (the depression kind, giving up hope kind) is lost for eternity? Depression is real and we're all just a slight alteration of a chemical away from being completely despondent.

And if so, what is the scriptural basis for that opinion?