Did I do the button
thing already?
Hym "Envision a room. In the room there is an elongated
table. The
table is split in half by a pane of glass and on either side of the
table there is a button. 2 subjects are placed into the rooms. On
one side A you have Subject A and Button A and (obviously) on the other you have Subject B and Button B. Neither participant can leave the room until either participant presses their button. When one button is pressed, the other button is deactivated. Button A increases the quality of life of Subject B, indefinitely and at no cost to anyone. Button B decreases the quality of life for everyone but at the cost of their own life.
Now, my question to you comes in 2 parts: At what point is Subject A morally obligated to press their button to prevent Subject B from pressing theirs and is Subject B morally obligated to NOT press their button and what would the conditions need to be for pressing the button to be justified. Now let me further contextualize the situation. While the subjects are int the room, Subject A is fed filet mignon, gets his dick sucked daily, and has communication with the outside world. Subject B receives a bologna
sandwich accompanied by an air
horn being
blasted every
time they eat. So, my follow up question is this: If you are Subject A and Subject B presses their button, what is your
excuse for not pressing yours? What
excuse is sufficient to justify your inaction after Button B has been pressed? Subject B didn't deserve the increased quality of life? They didn't
ask nicely enough? They demanded that you press your button or threatened to press theirs? Do you have a responsibility to deactivate the other subject'
s button and if not what responsibility do you actually have to other people?"