Wealth and Ethics

  1. Philosophy Forum
  2. » Philosophy 101
  3. » Wealth and Ethics

Get Email Updates Email this Topic Print this Page

Reply Mon 20 Mar, 2017 09:07 pm
If you had the opportunity to steal $1,000,000 in cash from a wealthy person, and you knew you could get away with it (I know this is difficult to imagine, but just assume for a moment that you knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that no one would ever discover that you were the one who took the money, not even the IRS), would you take it? Let's also assume that the wealthy person would not be financially devastated as a result of losing the money you took. She would be upset and unable to do things she wanted to do with the money, but she would still be pretty wealthy after losing the money. Would you take the money? Why or why not?
 
cicerone imposter
 
Reply Thu 23 Mar, 2017 02:08 pm
@cmlala17,
We have laws on what are considered illegal. There are also moral laws against stealing another's property.
 
ashwin723
 
Reply Sat 25 Mar, 2017 06:41 pm
@cmlala17,
The only aim of life is to increase happiness.

What I feel becomes me. That is why a surgeon gravitates to a better position in the scheme of the creation than a murder, even though they both engage in cutting others open. All sins are committed against the self.

The desire for survival is very strong in all living beings. This translates into need for safety and comfort. The craving for gratification is the root of all sins.

By doing something, if my heart aches, I am defying my heart. When I steal, I feel guilt. This emotion is the desire for punishment. Now I have deemed myself worthy of punishment.

In conflicting circumstances we should choose the smaller evils; a solder must kill, and a spy must steal. To a dying person or to a child, a lie may be a lot better than the brutal truth. If the only way to stop some one from killing a loved one is to kill the assailant, we must kill him.

I know that I should not steal the million, just to gratify my senses. Would I do it, if I had the opportunity? I don't know for sure. I hope not. Our desires exert immense pull on us momentarily. Succumbing to temptations and avoiding temptations, both are habits. It will depends on how deep rooted the habit of avoiding temptation is, as compared to the expected potential gratification.

Let mercy guide us in all situations. The mercy we feel is proportional to our emotional attachment to the person involved. A woman may give her life to save her child, but not to save a neighbor's child. But the mercy that
I feel for myself is sin. In other words, I should try to remove 'ME' from the equation of life, and be satisfied with what comes to me rightfully. If I can feel more mercy for the millionaire, than for me, I win.

Again, the act of not stealing I perform is for my selfish interest. The only thing, is that, now I have defined my self interest correctly.
 
fogelmanmeal0110
 
Reply Wed 23 Aug, 2017 02:32 am
@cmlala17,
No, Never. yes there is no body to see me but my GOD see me. I ashamed to take it and go. I don't care about such money.
 
hibbitus
 
Reply Tue 5 Sep, 2017 12:52 pm
@cmlala17,
I would not steal the million. Since it still leaves the rich woman with adequate means, the act has not moral worth. (I don't need a million dollars). However, I would steal enough under these conditions to move the woman (or man) into the world of the working poor. Then I could use the money to dole out just enough for her to get by on and I would try to make her feel humiliated every time she was hungry or without clothes. After a reasonable amount of time, I would either return the money or send it to this site, depending on my assesment of the womans compassion.

I do not want crumbs from the rich. I want them to realize their responsibility as humans and give up the ridiculous notion that fiscal worth translates to human worth.
Until that happens, I would take as much as I could from any of them.
 
alexkent
 
Reply Wed 20 Sep, 2017 05:32 pm
@cmlala17,
The question is stated so that it applies to one individual and another. That is, taking from one individual. The amount of wealth held by that individual is not stated. Today, there are about 5 people who virtually own more than half of all the wealth in the world. Not only do they own that wealth, they also have a great deal of power over the rest of us, including owning most of our media outlets. I would not personally take from one individual, but I do feel that a monopoly upon our wealth and resources by a few is stealing from Humanity itself, is wrong and should be illegal as well.
 
princejenish
 
Reply Wed 11 Oct, 2017 05:34 am
@cmlala17,
My question is about hair pigmentation.?
i just so confused with the hair pigmentation. Will it pain? What is the first process. how long does it take to heal.? Will it cause side effects?
 
Kausha
 
Reply Thu 26 Oct, 2017 02:21 am
@cmlala17,
No.Stealing is Stealing.We can not get anything from someone whoever wealthy or poor. Taking something without permition from anybody is a bad action.We should have satisfaction about what we have.If you have lack of resources ,try to get it from your suceess in your hard works without stealing others resources.
 
 

 
  1. Philosophy Forum
  2. » Philosophy 101
  3. » Wealth and Ethics
Copyright © 2024 MadLab, LLC :: Terms of Service :: Privacy Policy :: Page generated in 0.04 seconds on 12/26/2024 at 08:25:40