Deadly Dilemmas
The Search for Ethical Clarity in Killing
When is it okay to kill someone?
That might seem like a ridiculous question. But humans kill other humans all the time. In some states, where the death penalty is legal, an entire jury of people will decide to kill someone. Sometimes, our society thinks that’s okay. You might not agree with the death penalty. But I think we can all agree (at least, most of us reasonable people) it’s okay to kill someone who is about to kill you or others. And society generally agrees that killing people who haven’t done anything wrong enough to justify their own death is bad. We call this murder.
The problem is, we don’t always agree. And we have our reasons for disagreement. Some states have the death penalty, while others don’t. New York prosecuted Daniel Penny for killing a homeless man on a train who was threatening to kill other passengers. He was found not guilty of all the charges brought against him. But some states, like my home state of Florida, wouldn’t have even thought of prosecuting Penny.
So, I ask again: when is it okay to kill someone? And why do we find it so hard to agree when killing someone is bad and when it is acceptable? Should it ever be acceptable?
My ideas on this topic have been tested lately. And I’ve learned that the things I took for granted as truth might not be. I want to go through all the ways people kill other people and determine which are okay and which aren’t. From the death penalty to self defense to war to flat out slaughtering your husband in the middle of the night, we will go through all the ways people kill each other to find out which ones are okay, and which aren’t.
Be prepared for a fun ride. 😊
Read Part 2 HERE
Read Next: The Great Dating Divide
Read this, I promise it’s not about death…
Hello, dear reader. Can I ask you a quick question while the thought of murdering your enemies is on your mind?
If you know anyone that you don’t like, send them this blog. Because it will inspire them to be a more moral person. And if you don’t like them, if they were more moral, you might like them in the future.
But I’ll be honest, you should also send it to someone you do like. Because you don’t want your friends accidentally killing people in immoral ways, right?
Be kind today. Share this blog about killing others. Make the world a brighter place.