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From: rlh@cvl.UUCP (Ralph L. Hartley)
Newsgroups: net.philosophy
Subject: life rafts
Message-ID: <337@cvl.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 22-Apr-85 17:07:49 EST
Article-I.D.: cvl.337
Posted: Mon Apr 22 17:07:49 1985
Date-Received: Thu, 25-Apr-85 03:32:52 EST
Organization: Computer Vision Lab, U. of Maryland, College Park
Lines: 16

> I think the best way to handle this raft situation is survival of
> the fittest. Whoever dies of starvation first gets eaten by the 
> other. It only seems fair - this way no one feels guilty about
> killing anyone, and by the time one of the people starves to death,
> the other will have sufficient appitite to eat him.

Very good.  But by the time one of the people dies of starvation, he
might have lost so much weight that eating him won't do any good.  As
far as morals are concerned, the decision (as I see it) should be based
on who has the greater chance of surviving.  This being equal, draw
lots.

Of course, I don't know if I would be quite so selfless in practice.

				Ralph Hartley
				rlh@cvl