Overview
This lecture presents the case of four stranded sailors forced to consider killing one among them for survival, raising questions of morality and necessity.
The Lifeboat Dilemma
- In 1884, four English sailors were stranded over 1,000 miles from land on a lifeboat.
- The crew consisted of Captain Dudley, First Mate Stephens, Sailor Brooks, and 17-year-old cabin boy Richard Parker.
- Their initial provisions were a can of turnips, followed by a turtle, and then nothing for eight days.
- Parker became ill after drinking seawater and was incapacitated.
The Decision to Kill
- On the 19th day, Dudley proposed drawing lots to decide who should die to save the others, but Brooks refused.
- The next day, Dudley killed Parker without drawing lots, after saying a prayer.
Survival and Rescue
- The remaining three survived by consuming Parker’s body and blood for four days.
- Rescue arrived on the 24th day, saving Dudley, Stephens, and Brooks.
The Trial and Moral Question
- In England, the survivors were arrested and tried for murder.
- Dudley and Stephens confessed, claiming necessity as their justification.
- The central moral question posed: Was their act moral or immoral? Was sacrificing one life to save three justified?
Key Terms & Definitions
- Necessity — a justification claiming an act was required for survival.
- Moral dilemma — a situation in which ethical principles conflict, requiring a difficult choice between competing values.
Action Items / Next Steps
- Reflect and form your own judgment on the morality of sacrificing one life to save others in extreme situations.