Thought experiment #2

[Vater Araignee]

Definition of ENEMY

1. one that is antagonistic to another; especially : one seeking to injure, overthrow, or confound an opponent
   
2. something harmful or deadly
   
3. 1. a military adversary
      
   2. a hostile unit or force
      

   Using the human portions of the definition.

   Is it moral for humans to kill their enemies?

   Take the phrase/statement and assume it is a maxim.

   Set up a mental scenario that applies the maxim as a universal law.

   So this would be set up as all humans attempt to kill all of their enemies.

   It will either have an ending or will be infinite baring external factors.

   A proper answer will be a yes or no answer followed by justification.

   ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

   To show that I'm not setting up loaded exorcises.

   Those of you who have been around DGN a long time know my opinions about killing.

   For those of you that don't I can give you a hint. KILL THAT FUCTARDED SON OF A BITCH.

   I can stand beside myself and admit what parts of me are moral and moral or "I know when I'm wrong."

[DJ Nocker]

Most people would consider killing another human regardless there relationship, to be immoral... so what do you think?

[torn asunder]

anyone who considers themselves my enemy has every right to live. the only possible way i would kill anyone is if it were the only way to spare my life, or one i care for, and i would try my utmost to merely incapacitate the enemy, rather than kill them. i find killing for any reason other than that which is absolutely necessary, loathsome.

Edited March 12, 2011 by torn asunder

[Vater Araignee]

I'll use this one as a complete example.

Before I do allow me to state,I am perfectly capable of killing for a plethora of reasons. However absolutely zero reasons could be considered non-selfish.

Is it moral for humans to kill their enemies?

MAXIM: all humans attempt to kill all of their enemies.

Answer: No it is not moral.

Reason: Everybody antagonizes intentional or not so the human population would eventually be reduced to a point where it could no longer reproduce rendering the maxim against the greater good or immoral.

Killing to save my own life is selfish. Killing to save a loved ones life is selfish. Killing because your government orders you to is selfish.

All are justifiable by the doctrine most of us are raised with but it doesn't negate the selfishness of the act.

[~Tszura~]

In the end, everything we do is selfish in one way, or another. We live the ways we do to cope, to survive, to feel good about ourselves, to be happy, etc. Even when we do something that makes us feel like crap, it was a choice, and that choice is based on what we want.

As for the topic of killing all of our enemies would be immoral, I believe I can see what you are saying by playing the scenerio all the way out, but I don't agree. Morals are ways to live, and deal with what is "right/not right." Every culture has their own morals, so nothing can be universally agreed upon. There are situations where I think killing an "enemy" is not immoral, such as in defense of ones life. And even if the human race ended up killing itself, I think that has more to do with stupidity than being immoral.

Now if we are talking about war, and soldiers killing other soldiers because that is what they are "supposed" to do, I do not necessarily think that is moral. Whatever the supposed reason for war, I think there is always room for discussion to avoid an entire people possibly be wiped out by another. We are hardened enough, and life is too precious to be wasted.

Sorry if this is fragmented. Just a bunch of little thoughts streaming out.....