ForumGarden

A little game:

You are alone in a room.

In another room are 200 total strangers.

In 10 seconds both rooms will fill with a lethal gas.

Before you are 2 buttons, one will turn off the gas supply to your room and the other to the room with 200 people in it.

The first button you press is the only one that will work.

Which button, if any do you press?

If the person at risk changes from you to your child does your choice change?

I would press the button to save myself. At least I think that's what I'd do. Knowing my lungs would be filling with burning fumes and that I'd die a painful death would cancel any altruism I might have had before. I expect my mind would be racing and I would act in a panic. After all, I don't know these other people. They mean nothing to me in this instance. If my child or other loved one were involved, I would hope I'd have presence of mind to save them instead. That would be my thinking anyway.

I'd press them both. Just in case the instructions were lying.

But I'd press the other room first.

Either the situation has been contrived maliciously by a third party, or it's an accidental circumstance. My response would differ depending on the case.

If it were accidental, I'd save the 200 in both instances.

If it were malicious I'd refuse to press either button and leave the responsibility where it belongs. Nobody survives but I've refused to participate. I think that would apply particularly to kidnapping for ransom or influence as well.

spot;484639 wrote:

If it were malicious I'd refuse to press either button and leave the responsibility where it belongs. Nobody survives but I've refused to participate. I think that would apply particularly to kidnapping for ransom or influence as well.


I agree with your point but I would have to save the 200 all the same.

Are the buttons marked with which room is which?

Interesting replies here. They're making me think deeper on this issue.

I wondered what people would think. I'd sacrifice myself and hope that the 200 would bring the perpetrator to justice.

ok fro me this is along the lines of the numerous volunteers that were asked to shock someone if they gave an incorrect answer. The shocks grew with each blast and you would be surprised how many people continued to give the shocks to the other person even though they could see the pain and distress they were inflicting..

oh and the person on the recieving end of the shock was faking it they didnt get shocked..

though it is amazing to see what people will do.

as for the button, well save the 200, but l would save my child..

and hope they didnt grow up to have a complex about the other people dying.

though like spot if l could have a 3rd choice l would not push any button, let the sicko do it!. If it were a movie you would all die anyways and it was just done to screw with your mind