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Christopher Lau
 Mar 5, 07 - 10:49 PM |
Who deserves the coconut?
Your family and another's family are stranded on an island. Somehow, a lone coconut is found laying on the beach. You and the other family see it. This will allow only one person to survive until the boat arrives. Who deserves the coconut? There is only enough coconut for one person in the family actually. You want it for your wife/child, he wants it for his wife/child. Here's an example where traditional morality fails. Utilitarianism might say that the child that will make the most utility for the world when they return deserves it, but that's too uncertain. I suppose you could argue that with a definitive future, one child is more deserving, but in the realm of the unknown, neither child is more deserving. Some religions might say to let the other family take it, in which case, no one is deserving and both must die? Some theories would say it comes down to survival of the fittest, and whoever gets it, deserves it, but that leaves much to reckon with when it comes to why brute strength determines who is deserving. Some might say, whoever is closer or whoever saw it first (first come first serve) or whoever runs and touches it first, but then "deserving" becomes so arbitrary because why does stronger legs allow you to be more deserving. As a moderator, who gets it? Some theories would say, "who cares?". I think traditional morality fails in this example. Who deserves the coconut? As the moderator, how can you reconcile the facts that no one is concretely deserving and yet the most fair way to deal with the situation would be to have everybody die. Which also makes no sense. Or do you think that brute strength for some celestial reason, determines who is most deserving because that's who the universe will choose in any case. |
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Christopher Lau
Mar 5th, 2007 - 11:05 PM |
Re: Who deserves the coconut?
And some of you know where I stand on this issue already because as I've heard before, almost every theory I have somehow is a rewording of this one. But I'm curious how, as a moderator, you would distribute the coconut. The Les Mis problem of stealing a mouthful of bread to feed the family is like this but not really, because that one is clouded with political and responsibility issues. The Crime and Punishment problem of killing one person to save a hundred is like related to this, but more clouded because it involves changing ownership which brings in the issue of stealing. I use this example because there is no existing rules. No one is stealing because no one owns it. This goes right to the core of morality without worrying about politics or economics or pride. Who deserves the stupid coconut??? |
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erin
Apr 8th, 2007 - 10:34 PM |
Re: Who deserves the coconut?
You ask tough questions, friend. How would you answer to this question?? Did you look on the tree? Surely there must be more coconuts on the tree! ...I think first you must determine who wants the coconut. Is everyone fighting for it? Perhaps not everyone would want to live knowing that they're only living because of the sacrifice made by the rest of their family. Let's take your Les mis story, but further along the story line. Empty Chairs and Empty tables. Oh my friends my friends forgive me. That I live and you are gone, there's a grief that can't be spoken, there's a pain goes on and on................ Wouldn't want to be him. |
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Christopher Lau
Apr 10th, 2007 - 11:37 PM |
Re: Who deserves the coconut?
haha, thanks for the les mis interlude... i actually would never forgive myself if I sacrificed my family for someone else's family. What makes them better than mine? and no, there's no more coconuts on the tree, although if there were, then that might make this situation more realistic (i.e. we often fight for things that we *need* to survive but later realize it's not the only way) |
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Rohbit
Apr 15th, 2007 - 6:57 PM |
Re: Who deserves the coconut?
I'm going to go the route of indecency and suggest not eating the coconut at all and instead feasting on the first person to die. A bit of coconut goes great with a meaty rump or a fatty thigh... deeelish. |
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a_bittersweet
Apr 15th, 2007 - 11:53 PM |
Re: Who deserves the coconut?
Of course my family deserves the coconut. **** them, they can find their own coconut. And once they die from starvation, b/c they can't find another coconut - I will de-bone the lot, and turn their flesh into jerky so my family can survive for several months. And, of course, use their bones to spell "SOS". |
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Christopher Lau
Apr 16th, 2007 - 12:06 AM |
Re: Who deserves the coconut?
haha.... weird responses. Everyone gets 10 points for creativity. Here's my standpoint. I believe no one deserves the coconut. There is no "highest" order to say who is more deserving. If you are family #1, you are more deserving bc your responsibility is for your family. if you are family #2 your answer is different, and both are correct. If you are the mayor of the island, then you might pick family #2 bc your responsibility is to maintain peace on the island and family #2 is more likely to do that. If you are president of the country, then you might pick family #1 bc upon return to civilization, they will benefit the overall country more. Everyone is correct bc they are all acting their responsibilities. We get confused in morality when we start thinking that there is a definitive right and wrong. More on this in this idea: http://www.geocities.com/bobcrispypork/mydiary.html#mar132007 |
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