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aesop081
Guest
trust me , i was ready to kill myself by the end of it ;D
Anytime.....
MARS2INF said:
Anytime.....
A Question Of Ethics...
- Thread starter MARS2INF
- Start date
Of course there's a right answer to this dilemma. It's just completely dependant on the ethical framework...
From an act utilitarian standpoint, you pick up the hitchhiker. The fact that there's a sign reminding you that it's illegal is irrelevant, as the act of picking up a stranded hitchhiker is the ethical thing to do.
From a consequentialist perspective, it depends. If the hitchhiker stabs you in the face and takes your ride...Well, maybe you should've obeyed the sign.
The important factor, however, is your occupation. The way you identify yourself with your job in the Forces reflects a particular moral stance (and as such, a perspective on upholding the law). The dividing factor may be in your belief that disobeying a meaningless law is not "wrong". However, how does one gauge whether the "do not pick up hitchhikers" law is meaningless. There's no easy way to determine neutrally and, all things being equal, that law must be considered reasonable.
Therefore, given the available information to "solve" the dilemma, the correct answer would be to keep on going, leaving the hitchhiker at the side of the road.
...and yes, we could play the "what if" this or that forever. Remember, for moral dilemma questions DO NOT READ THINGS INTO THE SITUATION ;D
From an act utilitarian standpoint, you pick up the hitchhiker. The fact that there's a sign reminding you that it's illegal is irrelevant, as the act of picking up a stranded hitchhiker is the ethical thing to do.
From a consequentialist perspective, it depends. If the hitchhiker stabs you in the face and takes your ride...Well, maybe you should've obeyed the sign.
The important factor, however, is your occupation. The way you identify yourself with your job in the Forces reflects a particular moral stance (and as such, a perspective on upholding the law). The dividing factor may be in your belief that disobeying a meaningless law is not "wrong". However, how does one gauge whether the "do not pick up hitchhikers" law is meaningless. There's no easy way to determine neutrally and, all things being equal, that law must be considered reasonable.
Therefore, given the available information to "solve" the dilemma, the correct answer would be to keep on going, leaving the hitchhiker at the side of the road.
...and yes, we could play the "what if" this or that forever. Remember, for moral dilemma questions DO NOT READ THINGS INTO THE SITUATION ;D
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When i was in Grade 6, we went for a family vacation to Fernie to learn to ski. After a day of skiing (it was a cold week, averaging -20 in the daytime) we decided to head into the town for a meal instead of cooking for ourselves at the Griz Inn. Now Fernie has expanded a lot since then - roughly 1988 - but back then it was a fair drive down the mountain into town and the only thing open on the hill at supper time was the Griz Inn.
As we drove down, we came upon a young woman who also happened to be my ski instructor - hitch-hiking into town. It was cold, and getting dark. I've now since learned (in the posts above) that picking up hitch-hikers is illegal in BC. Dad pulled over and gave her a ride home.
I grew up, and currently reside in SK. Despite the danger to self, in small-town SK, you are taught that not stopping for someone who is stranded on the side of the road in winter, is likely a death sentence. That may seem melodramatic, until you think about the frequency of car travel down some of our lesser used roadways.
Was Dad's act illegal? Yes. Was it immoral? Anything but. Ultimately the situation, your upbringing, and your personal beliefs must guide your thinking. I agree with the poster above that one should not "read into" any moral/ethical situation that which is not in print, but I will continue to pull over and render assistance to anyone in need in winter. One needn't give them a ride, but you can pull over, offer them the use of your cell phone to call friend/family whatever.
The moral of the story is this:
She was an attractive young woman and dad never heard the end of it from my mom.
tlm.
As we drove down, we came upon a young woman who also happened to be my ski instructor - hitch-hiking into town. It was cold, and getting dark. I've now since learned (in the posts above) that picking up hitch-hikers is illegal in BC. Dad pulled over and gave her a ride home.
I grew up, and currently reside in SK. Despite the danger to self, in small-town SK, you are taught that not stopping for someone who is stranded on the side of the road in winter, is likely a death sentence. That may seem melodramatic, until you think about the frequency of car travel down some of our lesser used roadways.
Was Dad's act illegal? Yes. Was it immoral? Anything but. Ultimately the situation, your upbringing, and your personal beliefs must guide your thinking. I agree with the poster above that one should not "read into" any moral/ethical situation that which is not in print, but I will continue to pull over and render assistance to anyone in need in winter. One needn't give them a ride, but you can pull over, offer them the use of your cell phone to call friend/family whatever.
The moral of the story is this:
She was an attractive young woman and dad never heard the end of it from my mom.
tlm.
Pieman
Army.ca Veteran
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The way I see it:
- Someone walking down the road with their thumb stuck out needs a ride.
- Someone waving their arms at me needs help.
If I ran out of gas, or broke down, and had no idea how far to the next service station I would wave my arms and stop a car and ask for help or cell phone to get some help etc.
If I knew it was not far to the next service station I would walk it, and maybe consider sticking out my thumb for a ride.
So, If I was in your position I would probably keep driving if I was nervous about stopping for a hitchhiker. But I would have no problems stopping for someone who looked like they needed help. That is not to say I would give the perfect stranger a ride in my car, rather I would call a tow truck for him or do whatever to help him out.
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aesop081
Guest
MARS2INF said:Pieman, THAT's a definitive answer. I like it.
Perhaps I would stop if a jerry can or something like that was obvious, too, but someone with a thumb out is just mooching a ride, IMHO.
You're realy going to love PSE 402.........sucker ;D
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Ahh... the waving arms thing brings things into perspective.
I was just thinking back to cadet survival training - get to a road and your home free.
I had this picture in my head of trying to wave down car after car and watching them just speed up and drive past.
I was just thinking back to cadet survival training - get to a road and your home free.
I had this picture in my head of trying to wave down car after car and watching them just speed up and drive past.
George Wallace
Army.ca Dinosaur
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Well Yammit, I find at least three things that make your story not qualify in this instance.
1) You stated that you knew the girl, as she was your Ski Instructor, and thus not some 'unknown hitchhiker';
2) You stated that it was at least -20 Below and not a beautiful sunny day; and
3) In those days there was probably no such "No Hitchhiking" Laws, nor signs along the road.
Your Dad is safe in all counts, except from your Mom.
1) You stated that you knew the girl, as she was your Ski Instructor, and thus not some 'unknown hitchhiker';
2) You stated that it was at least -20 Below and not a beautiful sunny day; and
3) In those days there was probably no such "No Hitchhiking" Laws, nor signs along the road.
Your Dad is safe in all counts, except from your Mom.
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My suggestion is to sidestep the ethical issue by pulling out your cellphone (everybody except me has one now, right?) and call the police to tell them about a stranded motorist in need of assistance.
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17thRecceSgt
Guest
LIKELY said:
No. Jackson told me about that one in Wain-hole and "running over the cars" to get to the slug...good job by the way... ;D
I can suggest a good therapist though ;D
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rmacqueen said:
...is that to say that we can pick and choose what ones we follow??
That's a mad-max society waiting to happen... a world that the squeegee kid weighing in at a buff 118lbs while holding a bucket of soapy water and wearing an ANARCHY t-shirt that, by virtue of the shirt, apparently believes he can survive in.
Parked4everuser
Full Member
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MARS2INF said:
Man, he already HAS the bucket of soapy water AND the squeegee... he's set. He's all tiddly too, what with that Anarchy t-shirt and all. :
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