Would you run over a human to dodge a cat?

Dodobird said in another forum that the stupidest thing he has EVER heard a person say is that cats are inferior to humans, and he said somebody here said it.

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Originally Posted by dodobird

Someone on the forum said that cats are inferior to humans.

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I think he might have been talking about me. I didn't want to argue about it in that forum, so I decided to get into it here. So I have a question for Dodobird and anybody else who wants to chime in. If you are driving on a two lane bridge, a person (a total stranger you've never seen or heard of) is walking in the other lane, and a cat you've never seen or heard of jumps into your lane and right in front of you, what do you do? Let's say that you are going too fast to put on the brakes and save both of them. Let's also say that the road is so narrow that it is impossible to swerve and avoid both of them. You have to hit either the person or the cat. Which one would you hit? Why?

I'm going to run over the cat because people mean a lot more to me than cats and I think people most likely have more appreciation for life than cats. Also, the grieving people would go through over the person's death would most likely be much more widespread and extreme than what would happen in response to the cat's death.

Please don't argue with my reason until you have answered the question. Thanks.

Cat, because There is a slight chance that it could pass right under my car, and I would probably go to prison for hitting the person.

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Originally Posted by Lunalight

Cat, because There is a slight chance that it could pass right under my car, and I would probably go to prison for hitting the person.

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I'm talking about a situation where you have to hit one of them. I tried to avoid possibilities where they might both be avoided, so I should have said something about a low grill. I will just stress again that in this hypothetical situation, you have to hit one of them. Let's also say that there is no prison factor. I am trying to get people to address only one thing-- which organism they value more.

You've set up a scenario such that the "right" answer is "kill the cat", fine.

It's possible to accept the right answer *and think that calling a cat "inferior" is the stupidest thing you've ever heard*. Because you can be extremely suspicious of using the word "inferior" to compare the values of lives.

"inferior" is a fine word for disparaging poor quality goods. "inferior" car, "inferior" operating system, "inferior" apples. But if I say that your ability to debate is inferior to dodobird's? Or your life? Even if I have good reason?

There may be context here that outweighs the connotations of the word "inferior", but you haven't provided it here (I'm too lazy to wrestle with BB search this time of nite).

This is a TERRIBLE situation.

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Originally Posted by sloth

This is a TERRIBLE situation.

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That's life.

Moral choices help us navigate them. 's why they're interesting.

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Originally Posted by sourcejedi

You've set up a scenario such that the "right" answer is "kill the cat", fine.

It's possible to accept the right answer *and think that calling a cat "inferior" is the stupidest thing you've ever heard*. Because you can be extremely suspicious of using the word "inferior" to compare the values of lives.

"inferior" is a fine word for disparaging poor quality goods. "inferior" car, "inferior" operating system, "inferior" apples. But if I say that your ability to debate is inferior to dodobird's? Or your life? Even if I have good reason?

There may be context here that outweighs the connotations of the word "inferior", but you haven't provided it here (I'm too lazy to wrestle with BB search this time of nite).

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Oh, so you say that killing the cat is the right answer? Why? Is it because you value a person's life over a cat's life? If so, then you see the value of a cat's life as inferior to a human's life.

For you personally, I will ask you this... Do you see mosquitoes as inferior to humans? To my personal value system, they are. I think morality is not an objective science. But there are objective facts regarding what people's values are.

The scenario I illustrated shows the understandability of having a value system that regards cats as inferior to humans in terms of their general value. In my value system, people generally have more value than cats, and that is understandable.

I don't think i would run over a human, its a bit of a silly question anyways, i mean why even talk about something so cruel? I know its not as dramatic as the example i'm about to give but its similar. Its like being asked "Who would you like to die first, your mum or dad?" Just don't ask silly questions like this.

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Originally Posted by Lucid Seeker

I don't think i would run over a human, its a bit of a silly question anyways, i mean why even talk about something so cruel? I know its not as dramatic as the example i'm about to give but its similar. Its like being asked "Who would you like to die first, your mum or dad?" Just don't ask silly questions like this.

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So it's pretty close to being a tie?

Actually he makes a good point. If there was a super race of aliens from another planet and one was walking down the street with a human. Most people would try to avoid the human as well, even though the alien is clearly not inferior.

I just don't see the point in asking the question when it is obvious that the majority would run over the cat, i know it may sound cruel but humans are valued much more than cats in general, though there are many cat lovers who would probably beg to differ i must say that this is a very stupid question to ask. Why bother?

I would personally hit the cat.
Not because I believe that the human's life is any more sacred than the cat's, because I don't.
Not because I like humans more than I like cats, because I don't.
But out of a primal instinct to protect my own species that makes no logical sense whatsoever.
In a split second decision, I would hit the cat.

I'll save a human life at the expense of a cat's life any day. I didn't think this would actually be cause for debate :p.

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Originally Posted by Alric

Actually he makes a good point. If there was a super race of aliens from another planet and one was walking down the street with a human. Most people would try to avoid the human as well, even though the alien is clearly not inferior.

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The aliens might be intellectually superior, but they are obviously inferior on your scale of what you value.

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Originally Posted by Lucid Seeker

I just don't see the point in asking the question when it is obvious that the majority would run over the cat, i know it may sound cruel but humans are valued much more than cats in general, though there are many cat lovers who would probably beg to differ i must say that this is a very stupid question to ask. Why bother?

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Why do you keep bothering talking about it? You obviously see it as a moral dilemma worth commenting on. I do too.

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Originally Posted by Replicon

I'll save a human life at the expense of a cat's life any day. I didn't think this would actually be cause for debate :p.

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You'd be surprised.

Speaking of which... Dodobird, talk to us. Tell us about the stupidest idea you've ever heard of-- the idea that humans are superior to cats.

Hey Universal, no I don't think it was you. It was in that thread about the cat who was given LSD. I got into an argument there which brought out some negative emotions from me and from the people I argued with, so I will not go into another argument about it - it's not good for me.
But I will answer your question: I will run over the cat, but not because I think the cat is inferior, but because:
A) Like you said, the life of so many people will be ruined if I run over the human. More than the cat, who probably only have a few relatives and friends, that will forget about her pretty quickly. Cats have shorter memory so they forget, and also they are smarter so they don't get so attached to others as humans do.

EDIT: The next 2 points aren't relevant according to Universal's second post in this thread, so you can disregard them
B) I will get into loads trouble if I run over the human: fines, lawsuits etc.
C) Cats are small and fast, so there's a bigger chance that I would miraculously miss the cat.

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Originally Posted by Lucid Seeker

I don't think i would run over a human, its a bit of a silly question anyways, i mean why even talk about something so cruel? I know its not as dramatic as the example i'm about to give but its similar. Its like being asked "Who would you like to die first, your mum or dad?" Just don't ask silly questions like this.

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In terms of silly things not to do, I think it's topped by quoting someone then completely ignoring what they said. Like quoting someone who expresses extreme suspicion of the particular word inferior applied to the value of life, then demanding that they agree with the statement that a cats life is inferior to a humans.

i remember a news story where a woman hit 30 people to avoid a cat.

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Originally Posted by sloth

I would personally hit the cat.
Not because I believe that the human's life is any more sacred than the cat's, because I don't.
Not because I like humans more than I like cats, because I don't.
But out of a primal instinct to protect my own species that makes no logical sense whatsoever.
In a split second decision, I would hit the cat.

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This is probably what would happen for me too.

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Originally Posted by sourcejedi

In terms of silly things not to do, I think it's topped by quoting someone then completely ignoring what they said. Like quoting someone who expresses extreme suspicion of the particular word inferior applied to the value of life, then demanding that they agree with the statement that a cats life is inferior to a humans.

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Hey, i am only giving the obvious answer, we value humans lives more than cats, even though there are alot of cat lovers the majority of people would not want to run over a human to dodge a cat eh? My point being was that this question is silly because the answer is obvious due to the majority not wanting to run over a human. Its ridiculous, i was not contradicting myself by answering the topics question, i was merely showing that i picked to run over a can to save a human because i was demonstrating that the majority of people would do it to save a human life. Read carefully before judging :bang:

Why even debate this? Anyone who would hit the person as opposed to the cat will be charged in court. It's as simple as that. Nobody, under the law, or their own morals, (unless they are crazy) will allow toleration of saving a cat as opposed to a human. Why do you own cats? Right there you take away any thought or freedom they might have had, so you know on some level they don't have the concious thought humans do, they are not equal. It is just denial and ignorance to hold the two species on the same level, you want to beleive they are not inferior because that sounds very humane and makes you sound very kind, I know you know they are. even the cat's behavior exhibits this. Sure you love your cat, that's all fine and good, but have some sense, I would run that cat to bits to save a person!

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Originally Posted by bro

Why even debate this? Anyone who would hit the person as opposed to the cat will be charged in court. It's as simple as that. Nobody, under the law, or their own morals, (unless they are crazy) will allow toleration of saving a cat as opposed to a human. Why do you own cats? Right there you take away any thought or freedom they might have had, so you know on some level they don't have the concious thought humans do, they are not equal. It is just denial and ignorance to hold the two species on the same level, you want to beleive they are not inferior because that sounds very humane and makes you sound very kind, I know you know they are. even the cat's behavior exhibits this. Sure you love your cat, that's all fine and good, but have some sense, I would run that cat to bits to save a person!

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well I disagree that cat is inferior.
I don't own any cats. I just take care of them, and they take care of me.

Cats are less intelligent than people. Humans have a few more neurons, and some more neural connections. So what?
Cats have the full spectrum of emotions that humans have, and they can work out solutions to problems.

They have compassion. Take my cat Abdul for example: If I bring in any new cat into the house, it does not matter of what age, gender, temperament, or health she is, Abdul will immediately take care of her: He will groom her for HOURS, clean her with his tongue and teeth until she is spotless, and keep her warm.
If another cat is hungry and tries to eat the food out of the plate Abdul is eating from, Abdul will ALWAYS give up his own food for the other cat.

Sometime he gets angry, or scared, vindictive, playful, joyous, jealous.
Cats have an excellent sense of humor. They don't tell jokes, but they can very easily tell the difference between a playful situation and serious one, and that my definition of a sense of humor.
Cats dream.

Cats are awesome.

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Would you run over a human to dodge a cat?

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Yes. Several.

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This is a TERRIBLE situation.

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I agree! All the odds are against the cat. Of course no one would hit the human (unless they were psycho) because it's their "own kind." I'm sure if a cat was driving, he would swerve and hit the human. It has nothing to do with inferiorority (pardon my spelling).

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well I disagree that cat is inferior.
I don't own any cats. I just take care of them, and they take care of me.

Cats are less intelligent than people. Humans have a few more neurons, and some more neural connections. So what?
Cats have the full spectrum of emotions that humans have, and they can work out solutions to problems.

They have compassion. Take my cat Abdul for example: If I bring in any new cat into the house, it does not matter of what age, gender, temperament, or health she is, Abdul will immediately take care of her: He will groom her for HOURS, clean her with his tongue and teeth until she is spotless, and keep her warm.
If another cat is hungry and tries to eat the food out of the plate Abdul is eating from, Abdul will ALWAYS give up his own food for the other cat.

Sometime he gets angry, or scared, vindictive, playful, joyous, jealous.
Cats have an excellent sense of humor. They don't tell jokes, but they can very easily tell the difference between a playful situation and serious one, and that my definition of a sense of humor.
Cats dream.

Cats are awesome.

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I have to agree with this, too. Cats may not be as intelligent as humans, but they do feel emotions, and they can solve problems.

A perfect example of this is my cat, Zena. One day, she got locked in my dad's work building outside (you know, it has a lot of tools and junk in it) and there just happened to be a bag of cat litter in there. The next day, we went in the building, and she had scratched open the bag and pulled all the cat litter out. She had actually used the bathroom in it!

Another time, my dog got into a fight with his friend over a bone. They were snarling and biting (I was sitting on the porch, about to intervene) when Zena shot out from under the picnic table and slashed the other dog on the side. He yelped, and stared at her like she was crazy. I was amazed that a cat would break up a dogfight! I guess she really cares for my dog.

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Originally Posted by weelilhazel

Another time, my dog got into a fight with his friend over a bone. They were snarling and biting (I was sitting on the porch, about to intervene) when Zena shot out from under the picnic table and slashed the other dog on the side. He yelped, and stared at her like she was crazy. I was amazed that a cat would break up a dogfight! I guess she really cares for my dog.

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Haha, either that, or they were interfering with her nap
cool story : -)

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I agree! All the odds are against the cat. Of course no one would hit the human (unless they were psycho) because it's their "own kind." I'm sure if a cat was driving, he would swerve and hit the human. It has nothing to do with inferiorority (pardon my spelling).

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Cats can't drive a car.