Credit: http://weheartit.com This week's thought experiment is frustratingly vague, although it's meant to be so. Try not to get too annoyed as you read this and think about it until Friday.
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Sophia Maximus has always prided herself on her rationality. She would never knowingly act contrary to the dictates of reason. Of course, she understands that some of the basic motivations to action are not rational - such as love, taste, and character. But not being rational is not the same as being irrational. It is neither rational nor irrational to prefer strawberries to raspberries. But, given the preference, it is irrational to buy raspberries when strawberries are just as cheap.
Right now, however, she is in something of a fix. A very intelligent friend persuaded her that it would be perfectly rational to set off a bomb which will kill many innocent people without any obvious benefit, such as saving other lives. She feels sure that there must be something wrong with her friend's argument. But rationally, she cannot see it. What it worse, the argument suggests she should set off the bomb as soon as possible, so thinking longer is not an option.
In the past she has always thought it wrong to reject good rational arguments in favour of hunches and intuitions. Yet if she follows reason in this case, she can't help but feel she will be doing a terrible wrong. Should she knowingly follow the less rational path, or trust reason over feeling and detonate the bomb?
Baggini, J., The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten, 2005, p. 52.
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Thoughts? Feelings? How will you choose between the two before it's time for Friday's answer?
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Sophia Maximus has always prided herself on her rationality. She would never knowingly act contrary to the dictates of reason. Of course, she understands that some of the basic motivations to action are not rational - such as love, taste, and character. But not being rational is not the same as being irrational. It is neither rational nor irrational to prefer strawberries to raspberries. But, given the preference, it is irrational to buy raspberries when strawberries are just as cheap.
Right now, however, she is in something of a fix. A very intelligent friend persuaded her that it would be perfectly rational to set off a bomb which will kill many innocent people without any obvious benefit, such as saving other lives. She feels sure that there must be something wrong with her friend's argument. But rationally, she cannot see it. What it worse, the argument suggests she should set off the bomb as soon as possible, so thinking longer is not an option.
In the past she has always thought it wrong to reject good rational arguments in favour of hunches and intuitions. Yet if she follows reason in this case, she can't help but feel she will be doing a terrible wrong. Should she knowingly follow the less rational path, or trust reason over feeling and detonate the bomb?
Baggini, J., The Pig That Wants to Be Eaten, 2005, p. 52.
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Thoughts? Feelings? How will you choose between the two before it's time for Friday's answer?
