The poll's ethical dilemmas
1. Suppose that you are a security guard for a large shopping mall. A terrorist has threatened to drop a bomb from a balcony into a crowd. He is moving toward the railing carrying an object that you believe to be a bomb. You have a gun. He has a hostage between himself and you (he knows that you have identified him). You have only a few seconds to react. What should you do?
a. Shoot at the terrorist only if you are certain you will miss the hostage.
b. Shoot at the terrorist if there's a reasonable chance you'll miss the hostage.
c. Shoot through the hostage if necessary.
2. Suppose that a parent of a newborn baby places it in front of a picture window and sells tickets to anyone wishing to observe the child starve to death. He makes it clear that the child is free to leave at any time, but that anyone crossing his lawn will be viewed as trespassing.
a. Would you cross the lawn to help the starving infant?
b. Would helping the child violate the parent's rights?
3. Suppose that a parent decides to experiment with a radical new diet for his newborn child.
a. Should you prevent the parent from trying the diet if you have good evidence it would endanger the child's health?
b. Should you prevent the parent from trying the diet if you have good evidence it would endanger the child's life?
4. Suppose that you are on a friend's balcony on the 50th floor of a condominium complex. You trip and fall over the edge. You catch a flagpole on the next floor down. The owner opens his window and demands that you stop trespassing. Which of the following statements reflects your beliefs?
a. You should enter the condo against owner's wishes.
b. You should hang on to the flagpole.
c. You should drop.
5. Suppose that your car breaks down in a blizzard. You are trapped and may well freeze before help can get to you. You hike to the one house within hiking distance; the owner refuses to admit you. She has no phone. Which of the following statements reflects your beliefs?
a. You should force entrance to the cabin, which is not an act of aggression.
b. You should force entrance to the cabin, but it is act of aggression.
c. You should not force entrance.
6. Suppose that your neighbor is constructing an atomic weapon. He assures you that it is for self-defense. You believe he intends to commit an act of extortion. Which statement most clearly reflects your beliefs?
a. You should prevent construction.
b. You should sell your house, and you are obligated to inform potential buyers.
c. You should sell your house, but you are not obligated to inform buyers.
d. This is unthinkable and therefore not happening.
