The Case of the Innocent Fat Man Consider the story of the fat man stuck in the

Question

The Case of the Innocent Fat Man

Consider the story of the fat man stuck in the mouth of a cave on a coast. He was leading a group of people out of the cave when he got stuck in the mouth of the cave and in a very short time high tide will be upon them, and unless he is promptly unstuck, they all will be drowned except the fat man, whose head is out of the cave. But fortunately or unfortunately, someone has with him a stick of dynamite. The short of the matter is, either they use the dynamite and blast the poor innocent fat man out of the mouth of the cave or everyone else drowns. Either one life or many lives. (Kai Nielsen)

If you were part of the group, what solution would you suggest? Is your solution consistent with Kant’s ethics? Why or why not?

Explanation / Answer

If you were part of the group I would try to save everyone else from drowning. Thus I will try to save many lives at the cost of one life. My solution is not consistent with Kant’s ethics; according to which; the rightness or wrongness of my actions does not depend on their consequences but on whether they fulfill our duty. As far as fulfilling the duty is concerned; since I will be saving many lives at the cost of one life.

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