[MD] A Science of Morals

[Steven Peterson]

Hi Craig,

A noodle scratcher. Nice work.

I think the answer is that presumably something is thought to be being
served here in C's desire to push the button. But what is it? I
suppose it must be the need to relieve the pangs of a guilty
conscience--a sense of deserving misery. There seems to be an implied
notion that C can reduce his sufferring conscience by pushing this
button, but he can't. His misery will be worse still-as bad as it
could possibly be. Nevertheless, C may still have the irrational
desire to inflict pain on himself and push the button in a misguided
attempt to relieve his guilt, but it would be irrational for him to do
so. And still, the sort of person who would kill all of humanity is
not the sort of person we should bother trying to reason with.

Best,
Steve


On Wed, Apr 7, 2010 at 1:23 PM,  <craigerb at comcast.net> wrote:
>
>
> A, B & C torture & murder the other 6 billion people on earth.
> There is a robot-run prision that will ensure the worst possible misery
> at the push of a button.  Conscience-stricken, C believes they should be
> punished & that she ought to push the button.  B believes (with Hare) that
> only a fanatic would think the button should be pushed.  A believes that C
> doesn't understand the meaning of 'ought'.
> Who is right?
> Craig
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