Moral Hypothetical, Just for grins

[RandomPhantom700]

I'm coming up with moral hypotheticals out of boredom, can you tell I'm still in college?

Anway, Bob, Dan, and Jim are all three in the same martial arts class. They are of equal skill level, all three have a wife, 2.5 kids and a dog, and all three are of rougly equal socioeconomic status. Bob and Dan hate each-other, and it's pretty well known and acknowledged in the martial arts class.

One night, heading down the street, Bob comes upon Dan and Jim, each on separate sides of the street being attacked by 2 thugs each. Having been taken by surprise, they are losing; Bob realizes that he has to help, and only has time to save one. Given that he has equal chance of success helping either, and that all other factors are equal, Bob decides to go with his feelings about Dan and rescues Jim. Dan, as a result, is beaten mercilessly before either of the other two can recover and dies later on.

No I'm not a martial artist, and yes you can debate about the likelihood and accuracy of this situation until you're blue in the face. It is, after all, a hypothetical. What I'm curious about is whether you think that, given that his dislike for Dan was the only unequal factor, Bob is still morally culpable for having made the decision based on that?

Thank ye.

 

[Navarre]

I don't think it was a matter of morals. It would be morally unacceptable if Bob didn't help Dan and could have. But, in your situation, it was only possible to help one person.

Given the information we are, the only distinguishing factor is that Bob likes Dan less than Jim. Morality would dictate that Bob do all he can to help however he could, logic would dictate that he help the one most likely to provide Bob with the desired victory.

But, given that all odds are equal, it is quite human and even understandable that he help the one he likes most. In the exact same situation where one person was a stranger and the other was your most beloved partner or child, wouldn't anyone help the loved one if all other factors were equal?

C'mon, throw another one at us. I'm game.