I guess the ship’s “council” making the decisions helps the argument that Eliezer is making, and can be waived simply because you could have a lengthier story where they traveled back to Earth and then the Earth Government had exactly the same debate. But that’s nitpicky, how would it help the story or the argument behind it? IMHO it’s good the way it is.
Some of the council’s members having these extreme reactions of empathy seems a bit alien to us even, but that is our own bias. We ignore suffering in so-called 3rd world countries every day. “Aliens eating each other? Please! Live and let die.” Who’s right on this one, us or them?
The council members live in a world where humans (the only sentients they know) don’t fight other humans, and that’s it. Suffering is considered the most amoral thing by their standards. I think it’s entirely in-character and reasonable that they feel compelled to stop it.
I guess the ship’s “council” making the decisions helps the argument that Eliezer is making, and can be waived simply because you could have a lengthier story where they traveled back to Earth and then the Earth Government had exactly the same debate. But that’s nitpicky, how would it help the story or the argument behind it? IMHO it’s good the way it is.
Some of the council’s members having these extreme reactions of empathy seems a bit alien to us even, but that is our own bias. We ignore suffering in so-called 3rd world countries every day. “Aliens eating each other? Please! Live and let die.” Who’s right on this one, us or them?
The council members live in a world where humans (the only sentients they know) don’t fight other humans, and that’s it. Suffering is considered the most amoral thing by their standards. I think it’s entirely in-character and reasonable that they feel compelled to stop it.