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General Discussion Thread, A dilemma in The Lounge; Here is a difficult scenario: When you die, you have two choices, go to an indescribably wonderful paradise, or an ...


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  #1  
Old 11-12-2008, 05:14 PM
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A dilemma

Here is a difficult scenario:
When you die, you have two choices, go to an indescribably wonderful paradise, or an eternal nothing. To achieve this paradise, you must send the person you love the most to eternal pain/hell. If you choose not to do this, neither you or your beloved friend experience a life after death, and you'll go to the eternal nothing I just mentioned.

What would you do? Be kind or selfish?
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  #2  
Old 11-12-2008, 05:23 PM
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Re: A dilemma

It's an extremely interesting scenario, but for me there is only one option.
I would, of course, opt for the 'eternal nothing'. This is for several reasons:
  1. I don't want to live forever. Going to the 'indescribably wonderful paradise' would mean having to go for all eternity, which is a subject which makes me uncomfortable
  2. Eternal nothing wouldn't be too bad, as there would be no such thing as 'time'. Therefore, I wouldn't class it as any kind of 'torment'. In many ways, it's the easy way out, but hopefully the next point will justify my choice.
  3. I always put others before myself. As far as I'm concerned, it's the best thing to do. For example, making someone else happy, who in return makes you happy, is better than just being selfish and making yourself happy. In the 'kind' scenario, you are, in the end, helping not only yourself, but a love one, also.
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Old 11-12-2008, 05:38 PM
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Re: A dilemma

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Originally Posted by Henrik View Post
When you die, you have two choices, go to an indescribably wonderful paradise, or an eternal nothing. To achieve this paradise, you must send the person you love the most to eternal pain/hell. If you choose not to do this, neither you or your beloved friend experience a life after death, and you'll go to the eternal nothing I just mentioned.
What would you do? Be kind or selfish?
Someone on here, I'm sorry I dont' remember who, said "impossible scenarios net impossible answers" (or some such). I think that to be the case here.

But for my part, I'd choose option 2. for Joshy's reasons #2 and #3.

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Old 11-12-2008, 05:42 PM
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Re: A dilemma

The assumption that there is some kind of paradise awaiting people after death is open to question. If one rejects this alternative, the problem in the scenario goes away.
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Old 11-12-2008, 08:00 PM
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Re: A dilemma

Henrik said:

Quote:
When you die, you have two choices, go to an indescribably wonderful paradise, or an eternal nothing. To achieve this paradise, you must send the person you love the most to eternal pain/hell. If you choose not to do this, neither you or your beloved friend experience a life after death, and you'll go to the eternal nothing I just mentioned.
I would opt to experience nothing rather than see someone I care about in pain for my own selfish gain.
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Old 11-13-2008, 12:47 AM
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Re: A dilemma

To answer this I feel compelled to use a quote from Asimov.

"I don't believe in an afterlife, so I don't have to spend my whole life fearing hell, or fearing heaven even more. For whatever the tortures of hell, I think the boredom of heaven would be even worse"
- Isaac Asimov.

This kinda refutes the concept of heaven as a subjective conceptualization, but you get the point. After a long life... it's great to kick back in the eternal nothingness, I'm sure.... seriously!
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Old 11-13-2008, 04:23 PM
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Re: A dilemma

First off, there is a good chance we are destined to end up in eternal(or rather timeless) nothing anyway.

You said 'when you die'
Does that mean just before of just after you die?

I think that distinction is not unimportant because common human weakness may, at that last moment, well change the course we are now all merrily plotting for ourselves from the warm and fuzzy comfort of a friendly philosophy forum.

But when that fateful day comes, what will you, or rather your tormented brain under extreme distress, really decide? The mind is willing, but the flesh is weak.
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Old 11-14-2008, 09:58 AM
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Re: A dilemma

Quote:
Originally Posted by Joshy View Post
I always put others before myself.
ALWAYS? Which others? Do you opt to eat nothing but the bare minimum to live (or even nothing at all) and then give all the rest of the food you have to homeless people? Do you spend money on an internet connection? How about cable TV? For that matter, do you even have a TV or your own computer? How many pairs of socks do you have? More than you really need? There are people who need that money that you are (I'm sure) spending on such things more than you need those items. Anyone that says they always put others before themselves are almost certainly not being truthful. Part of being a living creature is being somewhat selfish, and sometimes putting yourself ahead of others.

/end rant

As for the scenario in the OP:

I'd chose the nothing. Nothing isn't bad. If it was, then it'd be something. No sense in sending my mom to hell.
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Old 11-14-2008, 11:35 AM
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Re: A dilemma

I dont believe there is anything that can last forever other than existence itself, not even death... but I would chose nothing
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Old 11-22-2008, 05:21 AM
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Re: A dilemma

The question is flawed. How can you experience paradise knowing you sent someone you loved to hell? Unless your knowledge of your actions is erased. In any case paradise has to be whatever you make of it so it gives you the means to save the person you love.
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