Is it alright to kill sentient beings?

[heyheysg]

Just watched District 9, awesome movie btw.

Then I realised, as gamers we kill a lot of stuff, while Jack Thompson is raving on about how GTA is a murder simulator, American soldiers are killing other human beings around the world (terrorists/enemies, but still human). Countries have capital punishment and while we don't consider animals as sentient, we kill hundreds of thousands daily.

We simulate killing aliens, monsters, terrorists, corrupt cops and sometimes even the 'good' guys as we play villians. And some of the times, these enemies are actually intelligent, sentient beings instead of simply being a dire rat, robot or kobold.

In terms of gameplay, we're merely killing of 1s and 0s so to say, but in the real world, what would we do when these things happen?

 

[LooK iTz Jinjo]

Basically you're asking if murder and war are ok? To which the answer is no. Occasionally is necessary but there are better ways to prove America has a bigger dick that Iraq.

 

[NimbleJack3]

When these things happen? What, when mecha Hitler bursts through your wall with Nazi zombies?

Please phrase your question differently.


EDIT: Other people's responses suggests that you are asking if murder is okay. It's not. Ever. But this brings up the point: What is sentience? Could robots or artificial constructs be considered sentient? Would it be murder to turn them off?

 

[Kiefer13]

I believe the word you are looking for is "sapient". The two are often used interchangably in media, especially science fiction, but they are really two distinctly different things.

In the real world, I'd treat killing other sapient lifeforms the exact same way as killing other humans. Something that should only be done if absolutely neccessary and in self defense, or the defense of others.

 

[Katherine Kerensky]

In the real world, I'd treat killing other sentient lifeforms the exact same way as killing other humans. Something that should only be done if absolutely neccessary and in self defense, or the defense of others.

why didn't you get the Nobel Peace Prize?
a.k.a. This is the correct answer. Don't be the aggressor.

 

[Ari Ace]

Yes.

 

[Abedeus]

When something or someone stands against me or something I care for, I will use violence.

I won't fight the unarmed, but when someone attacks someone, then why not just kill him and be over it?

 

[Rolling Thunder]

Yes, it is.

Be it for whatever reason, I consider it fine and dandy. War? Sure. Why not? War is good for a lot of things, and besides, sometimes you need to remind people exactly who has the most dangerous army/navy/air force combination. Peronsal reasons? Believe me, if someone raped or killed someone I loved, I'd kill them so dead their body would be scattered across a four-mile area. Civil Unrest? Okays. Dueling? How can you object to what two people do with mutual consent?

Killing's part of us, and let's not forget that.

 

[G1eet]

In the real world, I'd treat killing other sentient lifeforms the exact same way as killing other humans. Something that should only be done if absolutely neccessary and in self defense, or the defense of others.

why didn't you get the Nobel Peace Prize?
a.k.a. This is the correct answer. Don't be the aggressor.

Because he wasn't elected President.

On topic, murder is only justified in self-defense situations. Some people may warp that logic to mean something different and large-scale, but I'm referring to someone (maybe even the self) being close to death, and the only route is brutal defense.

 

[wooty]

One of my friends dads was a Bombardier in the Royal Artilley when they were posted to Iraq, they were always weary about killing he said, so whenever they were ordered in on a fire mission they never wanted to hear back about how many kills, only if it was a success or not

But OT, I guess it depends on your role in life, if you do join an army, then I guess you need to overcome the idea that one day you may have to kill, self defence or not

 

[DarkLordofDevon]

No. And if we all were smart enough to figure that out there would be no war/murder. Its not difficult.

 

[Koeryn]

Just watched District 9, awesome movie btw.

Then I realised, as gamers we kill a lot of stuff, while Jack Thompson is raving on about how GTA is a murder simulator, American soldiers are killing other human beings around the world (terrorists/enemies, but still human). Countries have capital punishment and while we don't consider animals as sentient, we kill hundreds of thousands daily.

We simulate killing aliens, monsters, terrorists, corrupt cops and sometimes even the 'good' guys as we play villians. And some of the times, these enemies are actually intelligent, sentient beings instead of simply being a dire rat, robot or kobold.

In terms of gameplay, we're merely killing of 1s and 0s so to say, but in the real world, what would we do when these things happen?

It is absolutely, 100% fine to kill sentient beings.

Just as long as you don't eat them.

(Following Dungeons and Dragons rules anyways, and really? What other rules are there?)

 

[Kaboose the Moose]

Being sentient doesn't give anyone a "get out of jail free" card. If someone can't use their sentient ability to avoid being the aggressor then they deserve the swift fury of death.

My theory is that if you can't learn how to play nice with others then you don't deserve to be sitting at the table.

 

[CloakedOne]

It isn't okay to kill anything just to do it. Killing animals for sustenance is one thing, but killing them because they are gross or just kind of there (killing a spider because it's nearby, for example) is wrong. they have little lives and ours are worth no more than theirs. Yes, we are smarter, but that doesn't make us better. We don't consider a chimp better than a crocodile, it's just much smarter. Why are we exempt from this? Because we can talk? Because we make art? we are just more intelligent. Animals have their own personalities and feelings too, they just aren't as needlessly complex.

District 9 is a wonderful film because it depicts how cruel human beings are to things that are not human and, past that, how cruel we are to each other. There is no need for such senseless death and violence among our species or others for that matter. If anything, I think it's alright to kill people who enjoy killing others (that and those who are sadists, sexually enjoying another person's pain).

No, it isn't alright to kill any sort of being unless it's for self preservation.

 

[E-mantheseeker]

This reminds me of a joke I heard once about "dolphin safe tuna" Basically we say "fuck you" to the tuna fish but because dolphins are considered intelligent, we go out of our way to them safe.

Unless they're endangered of course.

 

[ZSF]

Any form of killing is completely OK. The idea of something being wrong, incorrect, or say...cruel, is just that. An idea; It's all in your head, it is completely subjective, and thinking that it's wrong only makes you mentally weaker. The fact of the matter is that the universe doesnt see killing as wrong, it doesn't see anything. No matter how much people want to believe that it's wrong, it's really just a baseless opinion. Any argument against this is completely void. You can pour your heart out, but ultimately it's just a bunch of electrochemical reactions going on in your brain (due to your conditioning)telling you "this is wrong".

 

[Iron Mal]

No. And if we all were smart enough to figure that out there would be no war/murder. Its not difficult.

This is relying on a certain level of humanity and compassion that, frankly, doesn't exist in most people.

Strictly speaking it isn't 'right' to kill anything but that doesn't change the fact that it has to be done on occasion (it is a nessercary evil).

 

[Kollega]

It's alright only if they are shooting back at you. Or torturing someone. Or being a dicks in general. Sure,you can't forego war and murder entirely,but you can at least try and keep it down to minimal levels.

 

[DarkLordofDevon]

No. And if we all were smart enough to figure that out there would be no war/murder. Its not difficult.

This is relying on a certain level of humanity and compassion that, frankly, doesn't exist in most people.

Strictly speaking it isn't 'right' to kill anything but that doesn't change the fact that it has to be done on occasion (it is a nessercary evil).

Necessary evil when someone else does it, yes. Doesn't mean humanity is any less stupid though.

 

[Ekonk]

NO