because the act of handing certainty of life to one requires an absolute certainty of death to the other. That's what makes them the same -- the true ethical choice, saving both, is not an option. What you're doing is similar to the people that want to ask the parents are doing -- but where they are seeking additional information in order to make a better decision, you're imputing information that isn't part of the question -- that certainty of life to one is better. That wasn't part of the question. If it was, the answer would be simple, and would reveal a lot less about the people in the discussion.
The whole point of this exercise is more an opportunity to show how you react in an impossible situation than it is a simple ethical choice. (it's a real b5 for the psych department when the people being tested realize they're being tested and what they're being tested for...;-)) Your imputation (certainty of life to one is better than rolling the dice with both) reveals your ethos. Mine (I hereby grant myself absolution from things I cannot control) reveals mine, and also my tendency to try to avoid reading more into the question than is actually there. Different, but equal in their own way.
Extra information changes everything. In the military example, the extra information as to where the troops are being led and what they have to do there makes a big difference -- if they have to take a hill, and 50 troops aren't enough, then the decision is the all or none. If less than 50 troops will do it, then you go with the certainty. You're there to lead, not lose.
In football, Nebraska lost a championship game that way. Nebraska was 1 point behind after a final touchdown. They could either kick the extra point in for a tie, or run it in for the win. Dr. Osborn chose to run it in, and lost. In a normal game, where it would have gone into overtime if they'd tied the game, it would have been stupid. In a championship game, the win was the goal, and everybody understand and respected his decision. Even though it sucked to lose. |
