When I really think about it, I'd take the first. I don't really think I could live with myself if I knowingly caused someone else to die. Yeah, by being successful, by definition I cause other people to fail, but it's not quite as direct. Call me a sop, but I just don't think I could enjoy those billion dollars. If I chose to take that money, I think I'd invest it somewhere and start giving the earnings to charity for the rest of my life to make up for what I did to that other person.
Of course, this situation isn't really complete. What if the other person were dying of a disease—had only days left to live anyway? I could see myself taking the money in that case. On the other hand, if it were some really important person whose death would cause a war (like perhaps the current leader of Afghanistan), I don't really think I could take the billion dollars.
But if I had no idea who it was that was going to die, I don't think I could take the money. I'm just not capable of placing a value on human life that way.
Great topic, by the way.
*prepares to hand out some doubloons*
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Hybrid Mode
