A Hypothetical Question That Will Test Your Morals

I have been pondering this for a day or so and thought I would share my thoughts.

Imagine that you could see in to the future, all the terrible events unfolding right in front of your eyes. You could see who the next ruthless powerful groups of dictators/antichrists would be. Then imagine that you were given the chance to change all of it, by traveling back in time in order to save many lives and rectify the situation, all you had to do was to kill those who would grow up to be ruthless dictators when they were small such as in their teens. However, there is a catch, if you go back in time there is no going back to your time, you would be stuck back in time and would have to deal with any repercussions from your actions.

Could you do it? if so, why? if not, why?

Just imagine that you did it, that you went back in time and killed those who would have grown up to bring misery on the world when they were just children, how would you be viewed by the public at that time? how could you explain it to the public? how could they understand?, they would only see it as a horrible incident so many children killed but little would they know. Would you try and explain yourself? how would you explain yourself?

Catch 22 - do nothing and people die, do something and people die -

What would you do?

i wouldn't even bother. conflict is the method by which our species advances. without conflict we would stagnate.

Can't I send the T-1000 back to get them?? If so we are in good shape unless John Connor is one of the children targeted for Termination!!!

every action has a reaction.. who knows what chain of events you would start by changing the course of future.. you could make things worse

Originally posted by optimus primal
without conflict we would stagnate.

Interesting outlook there optimus primal. Would you just let innocent people die at the hands of brutal dictators and elitists even though you could do something about it? What if it was your loved ones son,daughter,grandson, grand daughter, e.t.c still feel the same way ?

reply to post by franspeakfree


I'd go back in time and rid the world of its future threat if I were able to successfully assasinate the targets without being caught.

But would I be able to take back some evidence from the future which would prove my motivation for eliminating said targets?

I wouldn't care about not being able to return to my own time, I don't have any friends for me here anyway. So I guess I wouldn't even mind going to jail.

It's a pretty interesting question, but I guess it does depend a lot on each individual's personal life, because for some people, not being able to return to their own time would be a huge sacrifice. And now that I think of it, I'd probably only go back in time in the first place if these future evildoers had a directly adverse impact upon my life. And doesn't the world need depopulation anyway?

Originally posted by Chrisfishenstein
Can't I send the T-1000 back to get them?? If so we are in good shape unless John Connor is one of the children targeted for Termination!!!

Afraid not Chrisfishenstein, in this hyperthetical world, you can only travel one way and thats back to the time when the dictators are small children. No Terminator either I am afraid.

By trying to do god works you may unleash an even more destructive evol influence, due to their energis still being present just not in the bodies you killed. Also you may offset time by being back in it. SO not a good look from my perspective. Why not just be patient and await cleaners to bring forth the path of the LAMB?

I would go back in time just before a major event in history but not a destructive event. An event that I would be able to "predict". I would then kill the eventual-ruthless child and say that I came from the future to stop this person from destruction. I would then be sent to jail, but i would continue claiming to be from the future and begin predicting events. I would only be able to predict events for the neat future, since the future would be changed after my killing of the eventual-ruthless. I would be free or probably become an fbi worker of some sort

Originally posted by Misterlondon
every action has a reaction.. who knows what chain of events you would start by changing the course of future.. you could make things worse

Moving on from that philosophy (just for now) say in this hyperthetical world we are creating, there would be no chain of events, the actions of killing the children would only effect those in the future not those around them at that time. Would you do it then ?

I wouldn't call this a test of morals as morals are truly subjective. At first, my jump reaction was to say "Absolutely, it's for the greater good." But then you have to consider the circumstances under which these people would be allowed to come into power. If the human race wants to worship their masters and give them the ability to do such horrific things, I really have to lay blame on the population, you get me? It's up to the people to dispose of such characters and if they fail to throw their shackles off and fight, well, I can't support such cowardice and sheer stupidity.

Another facet would be if I were born long into this tyranny. In that case, of course I would go back and secure my future (or past since you added that twist). There's just too many dynamics involved to give a sure answer.

If you had the ability and foresight to go back in time then maybe you don't need to kill anyone. Either change them in someway or persuade them to the otherside, maybe 'inception' style.
Or just try to empower the opposing force with either intelligence or other means.
And if the only only way to stop them is to kill them then so be it, but I am sure there would be consequences to that scenario too.
Interesting to ponder on.

haha good one, i think the only thing you can do its try to become friends with that person(s) and show them a new way. if that didnt work, with the knowledge you gained from the future you can make a name for yourself and gain ground to change them.

or unless i can bring a brainwashing device and use it on them

Originally posted by DeepThoughtCriminal
reply to post by franspeakfree

 

I'd go back in time and rid the world of its future threat if I were able to successfully assasinate the targets without being caught.

This would not be possible hyperthetically thinking, your actions would indeed get you caught but the future of earth would change for the good.

But would I be able to take back some evidence from the future which would prove my motivation for eliminating said targets?

I see what you are getting at, but no, you would not be able to take anything with you to prove you are from the future.

I wouldn't care about not being able to return to my own time, I don't have any friends for me here anyway. So I guess I wouldn't even mind going to jail.

I am sorry to hear this, I expect you would make lots of nice friends in jail

I'd probably only go back in time in the first place if these future evildoers had a directly adverse impact upon my life. And doesn't the world need depopulation anyway?

I see, so really then you would only go back and do it if it effected you directly?

in regards to depopulation, that's for another thread.

reply to post by LestatG


daam you you beat me to it

I would take one for the team. No matter what the reprocussions were.

MOTF!

Originally posted by Ophiuchus 13
By trying to do god works you may unleash an even more destructive evol influence, due to their energis still being present just not in the bodies you killed. Also you may offset time by being back in it. SO not a good look from my perspective. Why not just be patient and await cleaners to bring forth the path of the LAMB?

Interesting Ophiuchus 13, waiting for higher powers to intervene and turning a blind eye, where have I heard that one before? what if as said previously, in this hyperthetical world there are no offsets of time only positive effects in the future? would you still wait patiently then?

I wouldn't do a thing. Not for me to mess with fate. That could have even worse repercussions. The universe has a way of screwign with you like that. You may get rid of the dictators, but that dictor may have had a kid who would grow up to cure a nasty and rampant virus. Nope, I am not a deity, I don't mess with fate.

Originally posted by SpringHeeledJack
If the human race wants to worship their masters and give them the ability to do such horrific things, I really have to lay blame on the population, you get me? It's up to the people to dispose of such characters and if they fail to throw their shackles off and fight, well, I can't support such cowardice and sheer stupidity.

I understand what you are saying SpringHeeledJack, however, doesn't the general population always need a spark, kickstart to throw their shackles off and reunite? in this hyperthetical world I am creating, by doing this and slaying the children people in the future would unite and there would be no need for shackles as the dictators would have been disposed of.

Another facet would be if I were born long into this tyranny. In that case, of course I would go back and secure my future (or past since you added that twist). There's just too many dynamics involved to give a sure answer.

Again, so basically if it effected you personally you would do something about it.

Originally posted by LestatG
If you had the ability and foresight to go back in time then maybe you don't need to kill anyone. Either change them in someway or persuade them to the otherside, maybe 'inception' style.
Or just try to empower the opposing force with either intelligence or other means.
And if the only only way to stop them is to kill them then so be it, but I am sure there would be consequences to that scenario too.
Interesting to ponder on.

I'd have to agree. There are other options to killing. This is hypothetical imaginary crazy talk, but what if someone did go back in time and tried persuading these people to keep from becoming the terrors we know them to be, only to be responsible for steering them in that direction? What if the time traveler caused that person to become who he/she is in the future? Just a thought.