You are driving down a long deserted road in your car at midnight when a sudden, windy, freezing thunderstorm hits. As you pass by a bus stop and you see three people shivering in the cold rain, waiting for the bus which may never come for hours :
1. An elderly lady, a complete stranger, who looks
as if she might die of cold if she's not sent to the hospital soon.
2. A buddy friend who once saved your life, who
recognizes you and is waving pleadingly at you to get him.
3. The girl-of-your-dreams (and currently a damsel
in distress) who is perfect for you in so many ways, and you know this
is a once-in-a-lifeime chance to get to meet her.
Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car, and that there wouldn't be enough time to make more than one trip? Make a decision on what you would do, before you continue reading.
This is a moral/ethical dilemma problem that was actually used as part of a job application interview.
As it turns out...
The candidate who was hired (out of over a hundred interviewees) was thoughtfully silently for a moment, then replied carefully, "I would give the car keys to my buddy friend and ask him to take the elderly lady to the hospital, while I stay behind to accompany the girl-of-my-dreams (and give her my jacket to keep her warm) while we wait for the bus together."
Oftentimes, we would benefit the greatest if we are able to go beyond our limiting habit patterns. CosmoEthics goes beyond what is 'moral' or 'ethical' for individuals, rather, it is concerned with the larger pictutre - that which benefits the greatest number of beings in the greatest ways.