Astral Codex Ten Podcast More Drowning Children
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Mar 28, 2025 Delve into the intriguing moral dilemmas of charity and responsibility in emergency scenarios. The discussion unpacks thought experiments that challenge our views on ethical obligations towards the distant poor. It critically examines the obligations we face in life-and-death situations and emphasizes the need for cooperative wealth redistribution. The conversation also highlights the complexities of individual versus collective moral actions during crises, proposing that community resources often hold more power than personal intervention.
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Telepresence Surgeon
- A surgeon using a telepresence robot in China can save a choking student.
- This highlights that distance doesn't negate moral obligation.
Dublin-New York Portal
- Someone in New York can guide a choking person in Dublin via a portal.
- This suggests entanglement creates moral obligation despite distance.
Sociopathic Jerks Convention
- A caterer at a sociopaths' convention is the only one who can save a drowning child.
- The sociopaths’ inaction doesn't diminish the caterer’s responsibility.