People, it's so nice to hear so many different opinions on the issue. I'm really glad you took the interest, thanks for sharing.
If human clone is real and the probability of killing one of the mass production clones is high
or else, I will push the button because the chance of killing someone important is very low.
I can see you've never heard about how personality develops itself on everyone, but that's ok. So that you know, basically, your genes are just part of the equation. If there were 6 billion clones of the same person on the planet,
none of them would be the same person, so I guess, still if there were clones (in wich case you would be aware they're different people ;)), it would be no deal for you.
It would depend on the manner/implications of the person's death. If I had no way of knowing who I was killing, then I wouldn't push the button. I mean, if the person I killed were some horrible criminal or a terrorist or something, then hell yeah I'd take the money, but I wouldn't want to take the chance that I'd be killing someone good.
That arises another interesting reflection:
What is being a good person? It's very subjective. If you're jewish for instance, I'd be a bad person if I ate pork. If you were me, I'd be a bad person if I ate any animal, or even eggs, milk or honey.
For that matter, my take on it is you can't ever know what really is goodness, you can just do
everything you can, to absorpt the max out of life, and fight your lungs out for what you believe in.
SINCE WHEN HAS MONEY EVER MADE A DIFFERENCE? Even if you had no money, SOMEONE in this world would be nice enough to help you out, if you killed someone you could ruin said chance for another. Ultimately that could lead to another life lost.
That's really something I often question myself about. Money is virtual. Lives are damn real. Also, no one really wants to know my neverending takes on the virtual/real issue. :laugh:
But hey, what if the random person was your future child too? Yeah wouldn't that just suck? :D Orrr, what if someone pressed the button and killed YOU.
JACKPOT!
So, now for the tale!
From The Twighlight Zone (YEAH, I'M THAT OLD, SO WHAT?:D), translated from a version I found in Portuguese, nevermind my grammar. ;)
In a fine summer morning, a young just-married couple gets a visit from a guy in white. Though he looks like a real estate agent, there's something dark upon the visitor.
— I have an offer to make — he says.
He then opens his briefcase and shows the couple a little box with a shining gadget and a red button.
— This is gonna be here for the next 24h. If you push the button, someone you don't know will die immediatly.
— That's silly! Why would we push the button?
— Cause you would get a million dollars!
After emphathizing the person who would die was unknown to them, the little man in white said goodbye and left.
At first, the couple thought it was a joke, but soon started to talk, and take on account all pros and cons they could think of. Adam, Eva and the forbidden fruit. At night - and on her initiative, the biblical tale would repeat itself on detail, even with the hissing of a snake that would appear in dreams - they took the courage and pushed the button.
The next day, the man in white came back with a briefcase full of money. It was no joke, the money was there, someone they didn't know was really dead.
— I hope you enjoy the money — said the man in white. — Now I shall take my box and look for another customer.
— Customer? — said the woman, intrigued. — You'll make someone else the same offer?
— Sure — said the man, closing his briefcase. — And be sure this person doesn't know you!