Yup, like so many thought experiments, it’s intended to restrict all the real-world options in order to focus on the intuition conflict between “once” and “commonly”. One of the reasons I’m not a Utilitarian is that I don’t think most values are anywhere near linear, and simple scaling (shut up and multiply) just doesn’t resonate with me.
If the “hero for hire” is a lifeguard or swimming instructor, we have LOTS of examples of communities or occasionally rich individuals deciding to provide that. The difference that the thought experiment fails to make clear is one of timeframe and (as you point out) uniqueness of YOUR ability to help.
Yup, like so many thought experiments, it’s intended to restrict all the real-world options in order to focus on the intuition conflict between “once” and “commonly”. One of the reasons I’m not a Utilitarian is that I don’t think most values are anywhere near linear, and simple scaling (shut up and multiply) just doesn’t resonate with me.
If the “hero for hire” is a lifeguard or swimming instructor, we have LOTS of examples of communities or occasionally rich individuals deciding to provide that. The difference that the thought experiment fails to make clear is one of timeframe and (as you point out) uniqueness of YOUR ability to help.