All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing. — Often attributed to Edmund Burke (1729-1797)
Bad men need nothing more to compass their ends, than that good men should look on and do nothing. — John Stuart Mill (1806-1873)
I conclude that the simplest coherent belief is that no others, capable and knowing, exist, that are as good as the neighbor on the right (or otherwise benevolent/loving). — jorndoe
Stosh, sure, they may hav'a had it comin'. :)
Uncomfortably close to victim blaming though.
The scenario wasn't really intended as one of those.
(Presumably you're not claiming the scenario is unrealistic, entirely hypothetical, "never happened"?)
It's a fairly basic (relative) comparison among capable and knowing neighbors, and what we think "doing the right thing"™ is (as a default).
Or what some of us think at least. — jorndoe
you might be able to argue that inaction is entirely excusable, if you will.
That said, do you disagree that the neighbor on the right did better than others...?
I mean, would you really just look the other way, "just another day at the farm"...? — jorndoe
Are you trying to argue that therefore no omniscient, powerful God exists? That is easily countered by the 'God works in mysterious ways' defence, which basically says that there is additional information that explains the lack of action, which we do not know, and possibly couldn't even understand if we were told it.I conclude that the simplest coherent belief is that no others, capable and knowing, exist, that are as good as the neighbor on the right (or otherwise benevolent/loving). — jorndoe
Sample scenario — jorndoe
How do you define "inaction"? For example would "not moving your body" qualify as inaction? If you decide to be "inactive" while your car is moving stright towards a pedestrian in front of you so that you will not move your feet to activate the brake (that would mean to "act") would your decision/behaviour be "morally neutral"?I see inaction rather as morally neutral.
My point was that if you go deeply inside the meaning of the concepts — Babbeus
Congratulations, you just freed Jorndoe from philosophical self contempt about not taking action about everything wrong in the world. :) That should be a great weight off your shoulders, (it was unfair to you to begin with.)I could go by evidence, if you prefer; wasn't intending to presumptuously impose my own moral standards. — jorndoe
moral actions are not always decidable (the trolley problem again)
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