5 ms·
> How does the moral calculous work for Americans? Genuinely curious. Is it “something bad is being done to me, I am therefore justified to use any means necess
by mod 5y ago
> How does the moral calculous work for Americans? Genuinely curious. Is it “something bad is being done to me, I am therefore justified to use any means necessary” kind of thing, or there is something else/more?
Generally speaking, it works just like it works everywhere else--we don't execute people on the street. We sometimes have the legal grounds to use lethal force in defense of our safety or that of our property (rarely, but apparently in Texas), and we very rarely choose to actually use it.
Intrinsic morals don't have a whole lot to do with laws.
- scotty79 5y ago> We sometimes have the legal grounds to use lethal force in defense of our safety or that of our property (rarely, but apparently in Texas), and we very rarely choose to actually use it. That's not how it works in most first world places. You can't murder a person to protect property.
- Nasrudith 5y agoIt is still defense of life in robbery cases. Robbery is potentially lethal violence or the threat of violence to get what they want. That is what justifies self-defense.
- scotty79 5y agoWhen life or health is threatened it's understandable, but if just the property is threatened? In most first world country you are not allowed to go out of your way with intention to kill the offender.
- NoImmatureAdHom 5y agoThe parent made this exact point.
- go_blue_13 5y agoBy definition, it isn't murder
- scotty79 5y agoIn USA. And by definition anyone in drone weapon blast radius is enemy combatant. In USA.
- vinay427 5y agoIt might be advisable to take their point in good faith by considering what they may be saying instead of resorting to mentioning something about US foreign policy. Based on the definitions I can find of murder in various dictionaries, it seems almost universally defined as an unlawful act. If you choose to go by the commonly-accepted usage of the term, it would not be a murder if the killing is found to be lawful. There are other words, such as homicide, that could be used here [1, 2]. The CPS themselves (in the UK) have a whole page about this distinction. [1] https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/homicide-murder-and-manslaughter https://www.cps.gov.uk/legal-guidance/homicide-murder-and-ma... [2] https://murphylawoffice.org/john-murphy-law-office-blog/77-what-s-the-difference-between-homicide-murder-and-manslaughter.html https://murphylawoffice.org/john-murphy-law-office-blog/77-w...
- trasz 5y agoI’d say this is a valid argument, because it shows how little someone else’s life means to many Americans.
- go_blue_13 5y agoand your comment shows, again, how little ability you have to comprehend what you're reading
- scotty79 5y agoI was just pointing out that definitions can be really flexible. Sure, murder is a crime of intentionally killing someone. So if something is not a crime then it's not a murder. But since criminal law is vast and varied same deed in one country might be a crime and in other it is not. I used the word "murder" in non-US definition of what crime is. And pointed out that such actions are not a murder specifically in USA. Implying that with respect to other countries laws they might be. And they are. And calling indiscriminately killing people "a foreign policy" and legal is another can of USA made worms. Check out how narratives created and pushed by evil people affected your moral sense.
- jojobas 5y agoA man with with a crowbar breaks into your house at 2 AM. Do you feel obligated to figure out if he's after your property or your life, or would you justify killing him on sight? A man stealing your cat converter infringes not just on your property, he's possibly making you unable to go to work tomorrow, unable to pay your rent next week and putting you to the streets. If I was in a situation where the livelihood of my family depended on a piece of property I would definitely kill to defend it.
- scotty79 5y agoBy that logic you should be right to kill me if I outcompete you and steal your client away from you. Because that threatens your livelyhood.
- jojobas 5y agoEven if you compete illegally there is typically much less urgency in those matters. You can't quite send a cease-and-desist letter to a guy wrecking your car.