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freethought
Joined: 13 Mar 2005
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 1:52 pm Post subject: my wife doesn't matter because she isn't my blood |
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had a class last night with some professionals and we were going through various scenarios.
I presented them with the scenario that there are two bridges that are about to collapse, one has their wife and the other has their child. They only have enough time to save one. The scenario then escalates, by making the wife pregnant, more kids on the other bridge, etc.
Invariably these professionals (all male) offered the reason that they would not save their wife because they don't share common blood. One of them was torn as to whether to save a single child or his pregnant wife, with the reason being that the pregnancy shared his blood.
Anyone else find this to be totally messed up? |
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UrbanStyle
Joined: 23 Jul 2009
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:02 pm Post subject: |
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Whats really messed up is that you created this scenario and decided to use it in class making them choose to save their child or wife. Just SICK! |
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I'm no Picasso
Joined: 28 Oct 2008
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:13 pm Post subject: |
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Ha. That's what I was going to say.
Man, you asked the question.... |
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Sooke

Joined: 12 Jan 2004 Location: korea
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:35 pm Post subject: |
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I would likely choose my children over my wife as well. Not b/c of 'blood' but b/c they're my children. I would hope that my wife would choose my children too, if presented with the same situation.
What's the right answer? (the one you were looking for that wouldn't be messed up?) |
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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:40 pm Post subject: |
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The OP must be a wingnut walking into a classroom and teaching this stuff. In addition he exacerbates things by getting worked up over their responses.  |
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Trinidad
Joined: 06 Oct 2009 Location: Seoul
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:53 pm Post subject: |
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Hey Gwangjuboy, your avatar SUCKS! Haven't you read TOS?
100X100 only! |
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Gwangjuboy
Joined: 08 Jul 2003 Location: England
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 2:55 pm Post subject: |
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Trinidad wrote: |
Hey Gwangjuboy, your avatar SUCKS! Haven't you read TOS?
100X100 only! |
Is irony beyond you? It's a good laugh man. |
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hellofaniceguy

Joined: 10 Jan 2003 Location: On your computer screen!
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:28 pm Post subject: |
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I'm a cold hearted bastard....so...depends on how well the wife or kids and I are getting along as to who I will save! If I know that I could never ever meet/hook up with a woman like the one I have....well kids....I brought your azz into this world, I'll take it out! |
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Draz

Joined: 27 Jun 2007 Location: Land of Morning Clam
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:43 pm Post subject: |
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Sooke wrote: |
I would likely choose my children over my wife as well. Not b/c of 'blood' but b/c they're my children. I would hope that my wife would choose my children too, if presented with the same situation.
What's the right answer? (the one you were looking for that wouldn't be messed up?) |
I think the answer he was looking for is "I'd save my kids because I JUST LOVE THEM SO MUCH." |
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Goku
Joined: 10 Dec 2008
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 3:51 pm Post subject: |
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Actually, in Korea people are more aware and conscious of the "real" genetic meaning of life.
The rat race to provide money and education for kids, frequent cheating, finding the best husband, competition among kids and adults, etc... It's all heavily intertwined into our nature for proliferation of our genetic code. In Korea, it's much more obvious and people are much more aware of it than in the west. I theorize it's because Koreans have a stronger instinctual drive. Maybe it comes from Genghis? I don't know, but whatever it is, Koreans are fierce genetic competitors.
The idea is that, when we have children we pass on half our genetic code, yes the other half matters of that child, but not so much, as that she is only a carrier of our own genetic code. Now this is very unromantic but in the eyes view of Korean men, they could just find another mother. But for the child, it's their own part of their genetic lineage. They have to continue it for what is technically... their own survival. Survival of their bloodline.
For myself, I might make the same choice, but I would choose a child over an Adult. Not because it's my own blood. If my own wife choose to save our child, I'd understand. If she choose me instead of our child, I think there might be something wrong with her... |
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orosee

Joined: 07 Mar 2008 Location: Hannam-dong, Seoul
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:00 pm Post subject: |
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Goku wrote: |
Actually, in Korea people are more aware and conscious of the "real" genetic meaning of life.
The rat race to provide money and education for kids, frequent cheating, finding the best husband, competition among kids and adults, etc... It's all heavily intertwined into our nature for proliferation of our genetic code. In Korea, it's much more obvious and people are much more aware of it than in the west. I theorize it's because Koreans have a stronger instinctual drive. Maybe it comes from Genghis? I don't know, but whatever it is, Koreans are fierce genetic competitors.
The idea is that, when we have children we pass on half our genetic code, yes the other half matters of that child, but not so much, as that she is only a carrier of our own genetic code. Now this is very unromantic but in the eyes view of Korean men, they could just find another mother. But for the child, it's their own part of their genetic lineage. They have to continue it for what is technically... their own survival. Survival of their bloodline.
For myself, I might make the same choice, but I would choose a child over an Adult. Not because it's my own blood. If my own wife choose to save our child, I'd understand. If she choose me instead of our child, I think there might be something wrong with her... |
Richard Dawkins has described this in most of his books. Might as well add another bridge full of cousins, there is a theoretical ration that would make it rational to say save 1 child, 4 cousins once removed, 16 cousins twice removed and so on (the numbers may be different). Of course a bridge with 16 cousins is so much more likely to collapse than one with a single child on it
The best solution would be to ask the wife on bridge 1, because I think that there is a better than 50% chance that she will want you to save the child. If the roles were reversed, you'd already be dead That's how women work
There are also many reasons why you would not save the wife even if the child would already be off bridge #2  |
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Forward Observer

Joined: 13 Jan 2009 Location: FOB Gloria
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:04 pm Post subject: |
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There's a book on Scribd.com called "The Book of Questions" that has a lot of similar questions in it. Some are actually really good for conversation classes. I've used them a bit from time to time when the students are getting bored with lessons. |
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steveinincheon
Joined: 14 Jul 2009 Location: in The Shadows of Gyeyangsan
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:06 pm Post subject: |
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If the choice was between child or pregnant wife, I would guess it would depend on whether the child was a first born male or not. |
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Goku
Joined: 10 Dec 2008
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:08 pm Post subject: |
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steveinincheon wrote: |
If the choice was between child or pregnant wife, I would guess it would depend on whether the child was a first born male or not. |
lol |
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TheUrbanMyth
Joined: 28 Jan 2003 Location: Retired
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Posted: Thu Oct 29, 2009 4:24 pm Post subject: |
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Sooke wrote: |
I would likely choose my children over my wife as well. Not b/c of 'blood' but b/c they're my children. I would hope that my wife would choose my children too, if presented with the same situation.
What's the right answer? (the one you were looking for that wouldn't be messed up?) |
This. Nothing like presenting a situation where no matter the answer it's "messed up" and then using that to justify or further an agenda. |
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