A child is falling into a well: what do you do?

[an anarchist]

You immediately catch the child, of course.

Why though? Did you consider the reward from the child‘s parents before you stretched forth your hand? No, you did not. There is something inherent in you that caused you to grab the child without forethought.

Mencius, a Confucian teacher, believed this scenario showed the innate goodness of man. What say you?

 

[an anarchist]

If man is inherently good, then they become wholly corrupted. That‘s what I say.

 

[The Hammer]

You immediately catch the child, of course.

Why though? Did you consider the reward from the child‘s parents before you stretched forth your hand? No, you did not. There is something inherent in you that caused you to grab the child without forethought.

Mencius, a Confucian teacher, believed this scenario showed the innate goodness of man. What say you?

Biological altruism is seen in many species.

 

[The Hammer]

If man is inherently good, then they become wholly corrupted. That‘s what I say.

I'm not disagreeing, so...

Then what is it that corrupts man...

Self? Society? Religion? Family?

 

[an anarchist]

I'm not disagreeing, so...

Then what is it that corrupts man...

Self? Society? Religion? Family?

Government... says the anarchist.

 

[The Hammer]

Government... says the anarchist.

That may be "A" problem.
But I would be suspect if that was THE problem.

 

[Twilight Hue]

You immediately catch the child, of course.

Why though? Did you consider the reward from the child‘s parents before you stretched forth your hand? No, you did not. There is something inherent in you that caused you to grab the child without forethought.

Mencius, a Confucian teacher, believed this scenario showed the innate goodness of man. What say you?

Yea. As long as your a fellow human and possibly a dog or two.

 

[osgart]

If I had to guess, I'd say that there are falls of heart where people have divergent passions and desires; one falls for love and the virtues, while the other falls for their own arrogant vanity. I'm sure there are those who only fall for logic, and intellectual reason as well, and may have preferences, or be completely neutral on the value of any kind of life.

There's a spectrum where people fall for who they become. The one who falls for love and virtue will go well out of their way to save the child. The vanity of arrogance might spare the child if it's convenient, and serves their purposes but let the child die if it serves their purposes.

Anyone neutral on the value of life will act according to the implications of doing or not doing the rescue.

A completely wicked person will do what's abominable according to what they can get away with.

Human nature is definitely a spectrum. A completely undecided nature can become a great noble being, or a neutral enigma, or society's worst nightmare.

For me the only reasonable and logical nature to become is a person of genuine love and virtue. That choice has strong justification for self and selfless reasons.

 

[Heyo]

If man is inherently good, then they become wholly corrupted. That‘s what I say.

Most people behave morally, most of the time. But people are also stupid, lazy and coward.

Most of us are well equipped to handle simple tasks, like catching a child. No thinking required, no dilemma.
But when you are confronted with less obvious scenarios, you may instinctively make a decision you'll later regret. That's why moral philosophy exists, to think about hard choices before you have to make them under pressure.

 

[ChristineM]

Why though?

It's the thing to do, i believe some animals would do the same if a similar animal situation arose.

Did you consider the reward from the child‘s parents before you stretched forth your hand?

No.

 

[Estro Felino]

Because failure to provide assistance is a crime in my country, and I don't want to go to jail.

But...let's say it wasn't a crime: I am a Christian, and it's a sin not to save people's life. So I don't want to go to Hell.

 

[ChristineM]

Because failure to provide assistance is a crime in my country, and I don't want to go to jail.

But...let's say it wasn't a crime: I am a Christian, and it's a sin not to save people's life. So I don't want to go to Hell.

Im not a Christian, I don't have a god sitting on my shoulder telling me what is right and wrong. I'd attempt to save anyone in danger because it's what i do

 

[Estro Felino]

Im not a Christian, I don't have a god sitting on my shoulder telling me what is right and wrong. I'd attempt to save anyone in danger because it's what i do

If people were afraid of Hell...this world would be a Paradise.
And yet is unlivable because too many people don't believe in hell.

 

[Eddi]

Why though?

Because the child is a part of the same group as you and would probably do the same for you because everyone in a group is interdependent and look out for each other

And even if the child is not in the same group as you the behaviour you exhibited by saving it is based on it being adaptive to save children as doing so is ultimately in your interest and the interest of your gene pool

 

[ChristineM]

If people were afraid of Hell...this world would be a Paradise.
And yet is unlivable because too many people don't believe in hell.

Eh?

Being afraid makes it paradise?

 

[Eddi]

Because the child is a part of the same group as you and would probably do the same for you because everyone in a group is interdependent and look out for each other

And even if the child is not in the same group as you the behaviour you exhibited by saving it is based on it being adaptive to save children as doing so is ultimately in your interest and the interest of your gene pool

In other words, such apparent altruism can be explained by the selfishness of one's genes

 

[Estro Felino]

Eh?

Being afraid makes it paradise?

No...I meant people are evil and do evil because they think they won't go to Hell, if they are.
Because they don't believe in Hell.

 

[ChristineM]

No...I meant people are evil and do evil because they think they won't go to Hell, if they are.
Because they don't believe in Hell.

People are evil/bad because thats who they are, not because they believe or don't believe in a myth.

 

[PureX]

You immediately catch the child, of course.

Why though? Did you consider the reward from the child‘s parents before you stretched forth your hand? No, you did not. There is something inherent in you that caused you to grab the child without forethought.

Mencius, a Confucian teacher, believed this scenario showed the innate goodness of man. What say you?

I would push him on down the hole with my boot heel before anyone else sees him. The sooner he leaves this world the sooner he goes to God in Heaven because children are innocent and so go strait to God in heaven right away. And because I am an innately good man, as you say, I want the child to be in Heaven with God as soon as possible.



I think it was Italo Calvino that wrote a book called "The Monkey's Wrench". A fun book. This brought it to mind.

 

[Estro Felino]

I would push him on down the hole with my boot heel before anyone else sees him. The sooner he leaves this world the sooner he goes to God in Heaven because children are innocent and so go strait to God in heaven right away. And because I am an innately good man, as you say, I want the child to be in Heaven with God as soon as possible.



I think it was Italo Calvino that wrote a book called "The Monkey's Wrench". A fun book. This brought it to mind.

But it's the youngest generations that have a more spiritual approach to life.
And who are not afraid of death.
So it's better to save their life, so they can try to better this planet.

The oldest generations are gonna die anyway, because we are mortals, not immortals.


It was P. Levi who wrote it.