2015-01-26

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Imagine yourself walking through a mall. It's probably during a weekned because it's crowded with people going inand out of shops. While you are heading for your destination you are stopped by a stranger. They look like any other seller with dark trousers, nice shirt, and an inoffensive haircut.
   In front of them is a pedestal with a red button on it. They offer you the chance to press it once, calmly telling you that doing so will kill someone, somewhere. You'd probably just give them a strange look, maybe berate them a little, and walk away.
   Now, what if they told you pressing the button would kill a criminal. It could be anyone from a young shoplifter to an aged mass-murderer. I'd argue most would still not do it, unless you have vey conservative views on crime and punnishment.
   This time pressing the button would end the life of a murderer, a person who has unlawfuly killed a least one other person. Some might press the button here while proclaiming that "the death of this person will save the life of others," while others may still walk away thinking "killing someone for killing is ridiculus."
   Here's where it gets interesting; What if the button kills a person who will be the cause for more evil than anyone else, past, present, or future? Would you press it? You are all that stands between suffering and happiness for millions if not billions of people. I bet the trigger-finger's starting to itch for even the most hardcore of pacifists. Would you?

Why do you trust the stranger that pressing the button won't kill yourself, or someone you love?
What right do you have to control the fate of someone you don't know or have even heard of?
What right do you have to completely alter the life of the people involved, innocent or not?
What right do you have to press the button?
Why do you press the button?

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