Posted on 11/24/2007 7:59:34 PM PST by FreedomCalls
The deepest foundation on which morality is built is the phenomenon of empathy, the understanding that what hurts me would feel the same way to you. And human ego notwithstanding, it's a quality other species share. While it's impossible to directly measure empathy in animals, in humans it's another matter. Here are some of the dilemmas used to study human morality. Take this quiz to see how you compare to other TIME.com readers.
Any discussion of the questions posed?
Talk about wicked stooopid!
Who, in a moment of terror knows how many people will survive... as too how many would not?
The whole premise is retahded!
I came out in the majority only on Q. 3b "push the man off the bridge"
Is it moral to not want to kill anyone even when it means saving lives? I don't want to kill anyone in the posed questions.
How about, Hillary Clinton is elected Persident, you are one of the last few Americans living outside captivity. Members of the new American Secret Police are about to arrest or kill you and your family. Do you draw your gun and start capping gestapo before they can get to you?
Hell yes!
or President, either one will do for the purposes of the quiz.
Many questions seem unrealistic and illogical.
Voigt-Kampf test.
Like my briefcase? Babyhide.
I thought this was regularly inflicted on grade-school children as part of some ed-school fad.
I thought the deepest foundation on which morality is built is God.
Silly me.
Evidence for this?
Agreed...all the questions deal with your willingness to kill another person for, "the greater good." Nowhere did it offer the option of dying for your fellow man/men...
...I can altruistically say from the comfort of my couch, that I'd like to think that I would if that option were available, but I don't think any person really knows until they face that situation. Certainly, dying for one's fellow man is at the very core teachings of Christianity, which, contrary to the desires of the revisionist secularists, is the basis of our civilization. Western history in general, and American history in particular are full of examples of persons who have made the ultimate sacrifice for both their loved ones and complete strangers.
That Time Magazine first defines morality wrongly and then says lets all jump in is on its face ridiculous.
Looks like I’m a pretty ruthless mofo.
This statement is not true, but I am sure it is true for those at Time Magazine and the MSM./
Situational ethics at its most base.
Even if the person is going to die, does one have a right to play God?
In the movie Stagecoach, with John Wayne, the Indians are about to capture the stagecoach. One of the men is going to kill a woman to prevent her from being taken alive by the Indians.
The follow of that man's decision is shown in the next few seconds. A bugle is heard, and then a few seconds later the Cavalry comes to the rescue.
Even if it seems someone is going to certainly die, only God knows for sure.
In the trolley cases, certainly trying to warn the people to get off the track should have been an option.
Doing nothing may seem wrong, but doing something that takes innocent life is wrong.
There is one different scenario -- war time. In which case it is not a soldier's decision but a decision to follow orders. Some orders are wrong -- such as delibrately killing civilans when there seems to be no military reason...
If you had an othersie normal chile who could not speak, would you be able to tell what that child is feeling...at least some of the time?
Of course you could, that child would signal it via other means. That's how people who feel are able to tell dogs have empathy...and other feelings.
I just happen to watchin’ ‘The Duke’ maself!
Time? No thanks.
Those questions are posed to cast people adrift from their moral sense...that’s why you see the lifeboat scenario discussed in schools. The idea is to shock people and instill the belief that there’s really no such thing as a black and white moral situation. It’s a case of “bad cases make bad law.”
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.