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A Terrorist Has Strapped a Bomb to Your Child

Manny said:
The OP describes a scenario that uses an extreme situation to try and pose an ethical dilemma for us, to dismantle our sense of right vs. wrong. But it's a trick question. Anything taken to extremes often falls outside of the normal, functional paradigm, leading to a breakdown in the model. So what. Same goes with science, like as with the quantum mechanics. No one can say for sure what they would do in such a scenario, or whether any of the 3 options actually represent a chance of success. It's a lose-lose situation.

So given the absurdity of the situation, rather than try to answer with one of the no-win scenarios I tend to ask more general questions -
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You win today's "Kobayashi Maru test..." not. That or the spoilsport prize.

You choose.
 
Infinite Chaos said:
You win today's "Kobayashi Maru test..." not. That or the spoilsport prize.

You choose.
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Sorry, none of the above, of course. There is no black and white, only infinite shades of grey.

Also, I don't believe things happen in isolation.
If the girl was hanging out with creeps, and drinking, these sort of things will happen.
 
rhinefire said:
What would you do if you and your child were in a crowded mall and you child was missing then you find her with a bomb strapped securely to here torso. It will go off in five minutes.
Try to remove it and risk killing her, you and other people?
Run around telling everyone to get away?
Grab you child and run out the door killing both of you but saving others?
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Cut the green wire, it's always the green wire.

Seriously though, the last option if there was no time for a bomb squad. I wouldn't let go.
 
Well, let's face it, as a parent, I'm going to try to save my kid, but I'm not going to not alert people to the presence of a bomb. As I'm going to my child I'm going to tell the rest of the pedestrians in earshot to get away. Frankly if the bomb squad shows up, I'm actually going to step back out of harm's way and let the bomb squad do its job. I have TWO kids and posing a risk on me unnecessarily would be insane. So, yes, I'd risk my life for my kid, I'd trade my life for my kid, but I'm not going to throw my life away needlessly either.
 
Manny said:
Sorry, none of the above, of course.
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Meh, the "Captain Kirk Kobayashi Maru" prize is definitely on its way now. Putting qualifiers on like "if she was hanging around with creeps" doesn't fool me either.

This is all lighthearted - hope you realise?
 
Whilst confident my "child" can defo kick the arse of any bomb strapping terrorist and leave him with his bomb securely stored right up said arse...and while not wishing to even think about this situation because I love my "child" so much, still if we must....I would not want to move him in case it triggers anything and I would not want to use a mobile near him in case it triggers anything.

But if the situation were safe for him, i.e. he would not be trampled in a rush, I would direct someone to hit the fire alarm and clear the area.

Meanwhile I would direct another to call emergency and not hang up the phone until directed to do so by emergency services and not move from my sight until I hear that is definitely done.

I would not waste any more time on others, except to demand someone provide me with a cutting implement in case wires can't be disconnected and need cutting.

I would then go on the assumption that if a terrorist (by virtue of occupation not universally known for huge smarts) could wire up the bomb, how hard can it be? Therefore I should be able to look at it, follow the wiring, see how they did it, and disconnect some part of it to avert the trigger. It's only about connections after all, isn't it. An electrical circuit. If the connection isn't closed, there's no trigger. Stick a bit of cardboard between anything that looks like a trigger or whatever I see needs doing.

Of course if it's anything smarter than me, I'm off. But happy to go with my family. And very happy to show such people they do not terrorise anyone ordinary in reality. Eejits.
 
Masturbate furiously, then spend the remaining 4:35 telling everyone to go away and defuse the bomb.
 
spud_meister said:
Masturbate furiously, then spend the remaining 4:35 telling everyone to go away and defuse the bomb.
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Is that first part of the plan to be used in some way to break the wiring circuit, or is it something you just always do, or does it help you to think, or are you using it to clear the place via indecency and why are you doing that in front of a child (citizens arrest if there's enough of you left) or did you just think do it before you die or...

Secondly, are you telling everyone to go away and defuse the bomb, or are you telling them to go away and then you'll defuse the bomb...

I'm not happy with this plan, it just doesn't "hang" together.
 
Infinite Chaos said:
Meh, the "Captain Kirk Kobayashi Maru" prize is definitely on its way now. Putting qualifiers on like "if she was hanging around with creeps" doesn't fool me either.

This is all lighthearted - hope you realise?
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Lighthearted, are you kidding? The girls very life depends on it. ;)

Seriously, the claim that nothing happens in isolation and the infinite shades of grey is an attack on the premise of such exercises, which to me are a threat to my world view. These are matters of grave importance...
 
rhinefire said:
What would you do if you and your child were in a crowded mall and you child was missing then you find her with a bomb strapped securely to here torso. It will go off in five minutes.
Try to remove it and risk killing her, you and other people?
Run around telling everyone to get away?
Grab you child and run out the door killing both of you but saving others?
Click to expand...

I would call my life insurance salesman and take out a new policy on my child. No need for them to die completely in vain.
 
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