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From: laura@utzoo.UUCP (Laura Creighton)
Newsgroups: net.flame,net.religion,net.philosophy
Subject: Re: Re: Another small question.
Message-ID: <5438@utzoo.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 8-Apr-85 05:58:46 EST
Article-I.D.: utzoo.5438
Posted: Mon Apr  8 05:58:46 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 8-Apr-85 05:58:46 EST
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Organization: U of Toronto Zoology
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Grey areas mean that you either do not have enough information, have
conflictin information, or do not understand how to evaluate the
information that you do have. ``It is necessary for our survival
to kill all the X'', however, is not a particularily good example
of this. If you were a Nazi, the Jews were not a real threat to
your survival -- whereas if you were a Jew, the Nazis really were.

The really difficult cases are when the outcomes of your action are
fundamentally impossible to ascertain -- and you need a decision *now*.
Here is a research project which will kill dozens of rats. Scientist
Frozzbozz says that the research is investigating an area which
is likely to cast light on the problem of why humans develop bone cancer.
Scientist Gimble says that the area of Frozzbozz's proposed research has
already been well mined and it would be another pointless experiment
which would yield useless results. Both Gimble and Frozzbozz are sincere.
Do  you okay the experiment? It depends on whom you believe...

Laura Creighton
utzoo!laura

ps -- I have a long article half written which talks about where morals
come from in the general case.