How Morality Changes in a Foreign Language

Re:How Morality Changes in a Foreign Language by r-w on Saturday September 17, 2016 @05:32PM (#12522570)

I’m not sure you can just assume that five-versus-one is the same dilemma as four-versus-none, since that might not be how people value the lives of others.

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Re:How Morality Changes in a Foreign Language by lisper on Saturday September 17, 2016 @05:39PM (#12522610)

I chose my wording very carefully: "you will save the lives of four randomly selected people who would otherwise die." This is the utilitarian bottom line.

But you're right, four versus none is not the same as five versus one. And five versus one in the abstract is not the same as these five versus that one. The details matter. That is the point I was trying to make.

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