You turn around and see someone. She says, “Wait! You shouldn’t kill me because … ”
UTILITARIAN
She says, “Wait! You shouldn’t kill me because I’m signed up for cryonics too! This means that the total utility change will be negative if you kill me and the other people!”
VIRTUE ETHICS
“Wait! You shouldn’t kill me because selfishly murdering others for personal gain is not a characteristic of a virtuous man!”
DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS
“Wati! You shouldn’t kill me because it’s against the rules! Against the Categorical Imperative! Against the Law! Against the Social Contract!”
Of course, if the guy is a sociopath, no ethical argument will work. But if the guy is a true sociopath, he’d kill you for a much smaller reward.
I wish you’d kept the rest of that comment: the other justifications were good. There are other utilitarian justifications as well, based on the harm that murder does to society. (See Zachary_Kurtz’s comment above.)
UTILITARIAN
She says, “Wait! You shouldn’t kill me because I’m signed up for cryonics too! This means that the total utility change will be negative if you kill me and the other people!”
VIRTUE ETHICS
“Wait! You shouldn’t kill me because selfishly murdering others for personal gain is not a characteristic of a virtuous man!”
DEONTOLOGICAL ETHICS
“Wati! You shouldn’t kill me because it’s against the rules! Against the Categorical Imperative! Against the Law! Against the Social Contract!”
Of course, if the guy is a sociopath, no ethical argument will work. But if the guy is a true sociopath, he’d kill you for a much smaller reward.
The utilitarian justification doesn’t work because Omega said the victims aren’t signed up for cryonics.
Thanks for pointing that out. Comment deleted.
I wish you’d kept the rest of that comment: the other justifications were good. There are other utilitarian justifications as well, based on the harm that murder does to society. (See Zachary_Kurtz’s comment above.)