You can only save one— who do you choose? - Doug MacKay

Summary

The script presents a moral dilemma faced by the captain of the Mallory 7, who must choose between rescuing 30 impoverished workers or 20 affluent students from two distressed spacecraft. It explores utilitarianism, life expectancy, and the philosophical debate on equality versus prioritizing the worse off, ultimately questioning if a random selection like a coin flip could be a fair solution.

Takeaways

• 🚀 You are the captain of the Mallory 7, an interstellar cargo transport ship, and you receive a distress call about an explosion on the Telic 12.
• 🔧 The Telic 12 is transporting 30 middle-aged individuals from Earth's poorest districts to the labor center on New Lindley, where they will be assigned jobs.
• 🆘 As you approach Telic 12, you receive a second distress call from a luxury space cruiser, the Pareto, which has lost a thruster and is heading towards an asteroid belt.
• ⏳ You have only enough time to save one ship: the Telic 12 with 30 workers or the Pareto with 20 college students on vacation.
• 💭 This scenario illustrates a common ethical dilemma where a life-saving resource is scarce, requiring a decision on whom to save.
• 😀 Utilitarianism, developed by Jeremy Bentham and John Stuart Mill, suggests choosing the action that promises the greatest sum of happiness, potentially saving 30 lives over 20.
• 📈 When considering life years, saving the students (average age 20) would preserve 1,200 life years, while saving the workers (average age 45) would preserve 1,050 life years.
• 🤔 Philosopher Derek Parfit argues for prioritizing the worse off, suggesting that benefits to disadvantaged groups matter more, possibly favoring the workers over the wealthier students.
• ⚖️ John Taurek argues that numbers don't count, and a coin flip could be the fairest way to decide, as it treats all parties equally and gives everyone an equal chance of rescue.
• 🧠 The decision involves ethical and philosophical considerations, including fairness, equality, and evaluating the potential for happiness and life years saved.

Q & A

What is the main ethical dilemma presented in the script?

The main ethical dilemma is choosing which ship to save, the Telic 12 with 30 middle-aged workers or the Pareto with 20 college students, given that the captain only has time to save one.

What is utilitarianism and how does it apply to this dilemma?

Utilitarianism is an ethical view that suggests choosing the action that promises the greatest sum of happiness. In this dilemma, it involves deciding which rescue would result in the greatest overall happiness.

How do hedonists define a happy life?

Hedonists define a happy life as one that contains the most pleasure and the least pain.

Why might saving 30 workers generate more happiness than saving 20 students?

Saving 30 workers might generate more happiness because more lives are saved, which has the potential to result in a greater sum of happiness.

What is the significance of 'life years' in this ethical dilemma?

Life years refer to the total number of years that would be saved by rescuing a group. This concept helps assess the potential for future happiness based on the remaining life expectancy of those saved.

What does Derek Parfit suggest about giving priority to the worse off?

Derek Parfit argues that we should give priority to those who are worse off, as benefits to disadvantaged groups matter more than equivalent benefits to those who are well-off.

Why might the workers be considered more deserving of rescue than the students?

The workers might be considered more deserving of rescue because they are among the most disadvantaged, likely having experienced more hardship and having fewer resources and opportunities compared to the vacationing students.

What is John Taurek's argument regarding these types of ethical decisions?

John Taurek argues that in such cases, the numbers don’t count and each person is deserving of equal concern and respect. He suggests that the fairest way to decide is to flip a coin, giving each individual an equal chance of being rescued.

What are the potential benefits of using a coin flip to decide who to rescue?

Using a coin flip treats all parties equally and gives each individual an equal chance of being rescued, which can be seen as fair since it does not favor any particular group over another.

What might be the emotional consequences of using a coin flip to make such a decision?

The emotional consequences could include feelings of helplessness or dissatisfaction from both the rescuers and the individuals involved, as the outcome is left to chance rather than a considered decision based on ethical reasoning.