Hypothetically, could you kill an innocent to save a loved one?

[InnerRebellion]

To me, human life is an expendable, and easily replaced, resource. So, yes, I could kill someone without a second thought. I might feel a little guilty afterwards, but I'd do it.

 

[crazyfoxdemon]

Yup.. easily.. The people I love vs. a person I don't know? I don't even need to think about it...

 

[7amurai]

I wouldn't. I decide things like this by looking at it with myself as the victim. I mean think about it. What if the next person in line had to make the same decision and you were the "innocent person". What would you want them to do then? I'd rather die because someone I care about stood up for their morals than be cut down by a selfish stranger.

 

[spiffleh]

Hm ... I don't really know. I'm trying to imagine some possible circumstance where this would actually be necessary, and I'm pretty much failing at it ...

If you don't mind spoilers for

Spoiler

Heavy Rain

I could describe the situation in the game to you.

 

[Kashif Omer]

Nah, not a chance

 

[sagacious]

I think of it this way...

To save the loved one, you have to kill an innocent stranger,
but...
To let the stranger live, you have to let your loved one die.

So really, you aren't really killing anyone in either case. Someone is going to die. Someone is going to live. You are merely choosing who does which.

Personally, unless the stranger was someone I knew was important to the well-being of the world, like an Einstein or a Martin Luther King Jr. I would have no qualms or guilt about letting the stranger die to prevent my loved one from dying.

really, someone was going to die anyway. So rather than thinking about the problem as "which one would you kill?" I think about it as "Which one would you save?" I choose to save my loved one. I would like to be able to save the stranger too, but I'm just not able to.

 

[Fr]anc[is]

Perhaps if I had some magical contract or a 100% guarantee that it would work out like that. But the only real life situation I can think of is a cliche evil villain giving me this choice, and I wouldn't trust him, he's the flippin villain

 

[ImprovizoR]

This is a tough one. I don't think a lot of people can answer this honestly without being put in that situation. It depends on a lot of factors. I don't think I would. If I let someone die, whoever it is, I wouldn't feel guilty for not killing an innocent. It's the fault of whoever put me in that situation.

 

[neoontime]

Probably not, I mean what if a loved one of mine is being killed because someone else is trying to save their loved one. I'd just like to stop the cycle.

 

[WanderingFool]

Im not sure I would be able to make the decision. Whichever one I choose though, rest assured, the fucker that put me in that situation will pay...

 

[JoJo]

If my little sister was the one loved one being threatened then I would save her with no qualms, regardless of who the other person was.

If it was another member of my family, or a close friend, then I would still choose them as long as the random person isn't a small child, if they were then I'd choose the child to live instead.

 

[Phoenixlight]

No, also you need a poll.

 

[Nieroshai]

Thiss needs a poll, as it is basically a yes or no question. A poll would help you tell which way the responders are leaning at a glance, and would even add slight discussion value.

 

[spiffleh]

I think of it this way...

To save the loved one, you have to kill an innocent stranger,
but...
To let the stranger live, you have to let your loved one die.

So really, you aren't really killing anyone in either case. Someone is going to die. Someone is going to live. You are merely choosing who does which.

Personally, unless the stranger was someone I knew was important to the well-being of the world, like an Einstein or a Martin Luther King Jr. I would have no qualms or guilt about letting the stranger die to prevent my loved one from dying.

really, someone was going to die anyway. So rather than thinking about the problem as "which one would you kill?" I think about it as "Which one would you save?" I choose to save my loved one. I would like to be able to save the stranger too, but I'm just not able to.

I actually never thought of it like that. Hmmm.
Although there is a difference between someone else killing your loved one and you killing the stranger. But it's a little semantic.

 

[DarthFennec]

Hm ... I don't really know. I'm trying to imagine some possible circumstance where this would actually be necessary, and I'm pretty much failing at it ...

If you don't mind spoilers for

Spoiler

Heavy Rain

I could describe the situation in the game to you.

Sure.

 

[holy_secret]

I don't care for selfish or unethical.
I would kill the whole planet if it would bring back my loved ones.

I would not hesitate a second. There is simply nothing that would keep me from having them in my life.

Does this make me evil?

It makes you human.

OT: Yes. Without a second thought.

Then I'm happy to be human and feel all of these wonderful feelings that make me such a being.
Thank you sir. You made me smile.

 

[ShadowsofHope]

I honestly don't know.

I treat every human being I come across with respect of one's right to life (until proven otherwise - ie. killing another), regardless of friend or stranger. Separating people into categories of friend = save at any cost, and stranger = kill to save friend at any cost just seems morally corrupt to me. That "stranger" has a family as well, and you would be depriving a likely family of their loved one as well if you kill them. People forget in these situations, you aren't the only one with a loved one.

However, the cold pragmatist side of me would force myself to choose one or the other if it came down to "one is going to die, and one is going to live regardless of your choice". I still don't know which, though.

Then again, I have Aspergers Syndrome. I don't do personal connections as well as I do shared interests for basis of friendship, so I view friends as being more a social positive to my life, but not an absolute.

 

[saruman31]

In the words of someone wiser than me: I would kill them all! -Spartacus.

 

[xnickx5757]

Assuming that the only way to save your loved one (parent, sibling, child, significant other etc)) was to kill someone who wasn't a criminal and presumably was a nice and decent person.
You choose if you get caught and go to jail for this.

I started pondering this due to a video game (unnamed here to avoid spoilers). Personally I couldn't because:
1) If my loved one cares for me as much as I care for them, he/she would know it would destroy me mentally.
2) It's incredibly selfish.
3) If I did, said love one would probably never look at me in the same way again.

So what about you? Did you ever have to think about the answer or was it a difficult choice?

EDIT: Sorry about the lack of poll. Didn't occur to me at the time.

OT: if we are talking about the same game (starts with a F) then killing the loved one doesnt really affect the plot at all. (aside from 1 quest)

depends how much I loved my loved one

 

[OniaPL]

Yes, I could. I don't understand why someone would not.

Because it means you have to kill someone >_>
What if it's a 5 year old kid?

Another thing I don't understand is why it matters if it's a kid. If I can save an important person by killing this kiddo, I don't see the problem. Either the kiddo is the threat, or he just came to the wrong place at the wrong time.