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Originally Posted by politicophile
It's easy to say that, but someone who actually lived by this maxim would be terribly immoral from my perspective. This strikes me as a sort of high horse mentality where one refuses to compromise one's ideals regardless of the consequences. While this might be admirable when it comes to things like peer pressure, I would say that a person who is unwilling to violate their ideals (let's say a prohibition against killing people) in order to save the human race is downright evil.
How many lives is one's principle worth? Why, why is murdering one person worse than allowing large numbers of people to die? Does it come down to vanity?
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This is called "Playing God".
I need to say very clearly that I am not attacking you nor am I speaking with hyperbole when I say this but I think that it is interesting that you use the term 'evil' in your post.
IMO, it is the view that somehow saving another or many others at the expense of anyone's life (innocent or not), is 'downright evil'. By this logic have many horrors been committed because one or one group has decided, usually arbitrarily, what the 'good' is that someone else must be sacrificed for. Indeed, you can justify doing almost anything horrible to anyone with this kind of logic. Need human test subjects for an AIDS vaccine? Pull people randomly off the street. Afterall, millions will be saved by their sacrifice. Need organs for dying rich children? Go into ghettos and randomly grab kids. Afterall, if just one of the rich kids becomes another Bill Gates and donates
millions to worthy causes, isn't it worth it? (Plus, if you pick carefully, you will probably just be eliminating a future crack addict headed for prison.)
No sir. In your view, "greatest good" is saving as many lives as possible, as if preserving life is the greatest good there is. While I agree that life is precious, there are times when sticking to your principles are much more important.
My hallmark is the example set by Jesus. He also was sacrificed for the "good" of the many (something He let happen willingly). But it is quite clear that it was an evil act ("Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."). My own interpretation is that part of the message of His death (and subsequent Resurrection for the believer) is that death is not something to be feared, even a bloody and brutal one because you stick to your principles.