uno - dictated

[antimafia]

I have a question for all of you - more of a situation, really.

A woman - let's call her, hmm, Giovanna - hates her husband. One morning, she poisons his coffee, killing him. Another person - Vincenzo, perhaps - also hates his wife. He'd like to see her dead, but in his case, he's only had idle thoughts and has never been moved to action. One day, under the impression he's only adding cream, he accidentally poisons her coffee. He sees the poison begin to affect her and realizes that he has the antidote. Though Vincenzo is aware that he's the only one who could save her, he chooses to let her die.

Would you say that Vincenzo's choice of inaction is as evil as Giovanna's choice of action? Or perhaps you wouldn't say it was evil at all! Do think about and let me know, I'd love to hear your thoughts.

Ah yes, by the way - hello. My name is Mukuro, and I've just arrived. You have a lovely place here, I'm sure we'll all get along wonderfully. Oh, and happy St. Valentine's Day in advance.

Comments

1/3

[not_mafia]

[Oh wow he hasn't heard this voice in awhile. But it's very fami--]

2/3

[not_mafia]

[OH DEAR GOD]

3/3 keywords very relevant

[not_mafia]

Mu-mukuro?!

[WHEN DID YOU GET HERE]

[antimafia]

Tsunayoshi.

[Wait, what's he doing here? Don't act surprised.]

How interesting to meet you here.

[not_mafia]

D-did you just get here? [yes tsuna you would have caught that if you had waited until the message was done rather than blurting out in the middle of it]

dictated;

[lord_wizard]

An interesting opening query, Mukuro.

dictated;

[antimafia]

I find it's nearly always a good idea to introduce oneself memorably.

dictated;

[lord_wizard]

I cannot argue with that.

To answer the question, though, yes, I would consdier both evil.

dictated;

[antimafia]

Hmm, interesting. Would you say that they're equally evil?

[fluthlu]

I would venture to say that more information is necessary. Motive, after all, must be a considered factor in morality. For all that the idle listener knows, the victims may have been guilty of punishable actions.

Welcome to Paradisa, by the way.

[antimafia]

That's an excellent point. So if the victims had done something to deserve it, you think that their deaths would be justified?

And thank you.

[fluthlu]

Perhaps, in a sense. Vengeance is a messy business, and justification is seldom straightforward.

[antimafia]

It sounds like something you know quite a bit about.

[Written]

[deductiongeek]

Murder through inaction is still murder. A man who kills by refusing to act is still a murderer. Good and evil is irrelevant in that situation.

[Written]

[antimafia]

Either way someone ends up dead, right? There must not be many shades of gray in your worldview.

Re: [Written]

[deductiongeek]

When it comes to murder there are no shades of grey. I have heard lots of reasons why people would choose to commit murder, but not a single one ever justified it.

[Written]

[antimafia]

Really, not a single one? What about those who were abused or tortured? Are they not justified in killing their abusers?

[kid_apocalypse]

By refusing to act to save his wife, Vincenzo's choice makes him as evil as Giovanna, for her choice to poison her husband. The choice they made led to someone dying, it doesn't matter how. It's the intent to do harm, even if it isn't directly acted upon, that determines their guilt.

[antimafia]

Hmm, I see. If Giovanna's husband had survived, or Vincenzo's wife, would you feel differently?

[kid_apocalypse]

I don't think so, no. Even if they survived, Giovanna and Vincenzo still acted in a way that put their respective spouses in danger. The end result might be different, but the intent is still the same.

[antimafia]

What fine morals you have. Intent to kill is just as evil as the act itself, then? I'm not sure I agree.

[whistles_the_blues]

First rule of robotics; A robot must never harm a human or through inaction allow a human to be harmed.

I think the same rule should apply to humans.

[antimafia]

That would be nice, wouldn't it? Unfortunately, we have no such rules for ourselves, and laws are far too easily broken.

[whistles_the_blues]

True.

Regardless I think both acts should be treated the same. Doesn't matter whether you cause the harm yourself or refuse to act.

[antimafia]

You would punish them equally harshly?