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5000-words essay question
Recently a friend doing one of his many PhD projects shared this question with me. It is a question he got to answer in 5000 words, regarding ethics. (anyway, he just told me today that he is changing to another question to answer.)
You are stranded on an island with 4 groups of life-forms:
1) Embryos,
2) Chimpanzees,
3) Severely-Mentally-Handicapped human beings,
4) 90-year-old human beings.
There is a small boat just enough for you to bring one group with you. You cannot mix them up, and you HAVE to bring ONE group with you. Which group are you bringing, and why? Why are you sacrificing the rest?
My answer (not in 5000 words of coz):
I will bring the 90-year-olds. Why? Let me do an analysis of the 4 groups.
1) Embryos - I do not consider them a fully-formed living being, compared to the other 3 groups. So what if you can scientifically make them grow into complete living beings? The other 3 groups ARE already full-fledged living beings. So, embryos are out. Although it will be really easy to transfer the embryos on board and just leave the damned island, it just makes no sense to me to abandon any of the other 3 groups.
2) Chimpanzees - Well, in whatever ways you put it, humans are still superior living beings when compared to others. The ability to analyse, communicate, etc simply gives us an edge over the rest. If you were to bring chimpanzees, there is no guarantee that they will create havoc on board, neither will you know if they will listen to you and board the ship orderly (or not). Even if you did managed to throw them on board somehow, you risk being thrown off the ship when the chimpanzees behave like, well, chimpanzees.
3) Severely-Mentally-Handicapped humans - I almost opted for this group (after taking chimpanzees into serious consideration) before I was told that there is a 4th group. My reason for choosing them over the 1st 2 groups is, their reproductive ability. Chimpanzees can reproduce too, however, they lack the advanced minds which humans have, so they can't do much for our society anyway. Of course, there won't be any difference (in fact, maybe even better) if there are no human beings. But well, since we already DO exist......
Reason for NOT bringing this group with me: the same risk as having chimpanzees on board, if you ever do manage to get them on board. Will you even survive the boat ride back to home sweet home? There might also be less psychological impact on them, since they probably won't even know of the impending death?
4) 90-year-old humans - They probably can't reproduce anymore. Not even with technology. Maybe cloning, yes but I am no supporter of cloning. They might be even too old to contribute to society but I am more optimistic with their capabilities to contribute, compared to the 1st 3 groups. If they know they are going to be left dying on that freaking island, I am sure most of them will be damn depressed. The smaller % may not mind dying since they are already so old. Then it comes to the part where you shove them on board the ship. This is the group easiest for you to get on board. This is also the group that won't throw you overboard, won't kill you intentionally or unintentionally.
This is a rather tough question to answer, especially because it is a question on ethics. If I have to make a decision in such a situation, that will be my solution. Get out of the freaking place fast, since the question says that I DEFINITELY HAVE TO LEAVE. It basically makes no difference whichever group I bring along with me, of course the embryos are still out for me. If I have to leave, I will not endanger my life any further, or create any possible hindrance for myself. Bring the group that will give you minimal problems, getting out of the place in minimal time with minimal efforts. And, embryos are still a no-no for me.
If I were to write this any longer, I might as well go be a PhD student? It's actually no hussle to get the essay done in 5000 words. 500 words for introduction, 1000 words for analysis on each of the 4 groups, another 500 words in conclusion. Get your facts right. Support your reasons with clear and firm stands. It is a question with no given answer. No model answers. Ethics are subjective to individuals. Scholars, what are your problems?? :p
(Hey, I did a word count in MS Word, and guess what? I wrote abt 700 words already!)
7 Comments:
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Oh my, you have such analytical mind... My view is (on the non ethical side)
(1) For embryos, theres really no point bringing tiny-winny cells across your boats. What happens when you reach your island? You will be looking around asking for surrogate females, "Excuse me, can i insert this into you???" (and be thankful they dun slap you...)
(2) For Chimpanzees, i like the part on havoc on board. Indeed it will be hard to control them. If you ever be saved, Prob. will just end up waiting for many many decades for them to evolve to humans. But i'm sure they can do fantastic job entertaining us though.
(3) Severely handicaps... wats the point of saving them to eventually tie them up or bound them to the "Home"? Who can be sure that they will not attack you with a chopper, hack you, and then smile at you saying "Heheheh.... My doll can bleed.. boo boo"
(4) 90 years old... they will expire prob in 10 years or so. (sad to see them go... and have to tend to funerals...). Further, will they survive the ride? Who knows, they may end up dying on boat and we have no choice but to throw them off the boat.
So final decision: Chimpanzees. Though you cant guarantee you will survive the ride wif them, but once they reach safety, they just go hooohooohoo... No hussle and headache thereafter.
Your decision makes sense too. But I still stick to my point: Leave, and leave safely. If ppl dies on board and u got to throw them down, throw. It is better to be thrown since the stoopid questions says "YOU MUST LEAVE". :p
Haha... typical "you die better than we all die" mentality.
Haha.. then Old people seems to be least problematic here... Too weak to resist being thrown into sea (easy to catch also... cannot run fast). Prob will just let of a forceful "Arrrggg... you ingratful brat..." and into the sea they go...
Chimpanzees will jump about: hard to grab. Prob will eventually have to use your VISA card to trade for your keys with them.
Severely mentally handicap will think you playing catching with them and will try their best not to be caught.
Eee, what this Anonymous thingy here??? Free advertisement?
stoopid advertisement. deleted permanently.
Anyway, back to the Q. If the question "wants me to leave, and bring 1 group with me", then it will have to be the "you die better than we ALL die" answer.
otherwise, if we can bring all, bring all.
And, fark whoever throws me into that kind of situation. Pui. I dunwan to be in that kind of scenario.
Hahaha... Looks like someone's morality down to either
(1) ti-kam and draw lots
(2) The one who will cause the least trouble has more rights to life.
Whats the moral of this story?
(1) Never be stranded on island
(2) Dun go outing with these 4 groups of people. Together, the means trouble?
(3) Dun think too hard... or your get your phd, "permanent head damaged"
Anymore?
You hit jackpot on my moral values. And I like your moral of the story. haha. makes sense.