Ethical dilemma: hypothetical situations

[Daz]

Gimme!
Gimme!
Gimme!

Boy, would the charity organizations be happy with me or what! I guess I'd have to pay something back to give you myself better conscience (spelling?!).

The most important thing to me would be that the good ones dont get hurt in the process.

[C0ckney]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger
Why do you think it is an unethical action to take money from druglords, seeing that it is ill-gotten rich anyway?

ripping off a drug lord sounds a bit too risky under any circumstances...

[The Emperor Fabulous]

1.) Yes
2.) No
3.) No

...I'm unique

[Boris Godunov]

1. No - Not my right to decide such a thing. Plus if I got caught, I doubt they'd care about noble intentions.

2. No - It's still stealing from innocent people, even if it is a dollar.

3. Yes - If there's no way I can get caught at all, I'd take the money without guilt from drug lords. I'd give a lot of it away, too. Like to drug treatment programs.

[monolith94]

?I've chosen a special mission of my own. I'm after a man whom I want to destroy. He died many centuries ago, but until the last trace of him is wiped out of men's minds, we will not have a decent world to live in.?
And who would this person be, Wraith?
Yes
No
Yes

I take wealth redistribution into my own hands...

[tinyp3nis]

Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
2 only because they don't care.

[SlowwHand]

Originally posted by Berzerker
all three are stealing, no

I concur.

[Wernazuma III]

1.) Answering this question depends on the definition of "Robin Hood"-behavior. If it simply means to take the money from any wealthy person, it's a no. If it means to take from those I have proof that their money was acquired by blatant exploitation, theft, drugs (see below) etc., I wouldn't have any problems.
Even less I like the idea to say that every wealthy person should provide everything for the poor and that I am the executioner of this moral statement.
The second is the most obvious NO! This is called deception and is simple theft.
The third is a yes, but I would find it immoral to keep the money (any of it). Though this makes it some kind of a particular Robin Hood situation, I'd do it. If I know that a person is a drug lord, I know how he got the money, thus he has no moral right to have the money. If I find myself in the favorable position to take it away from him, sure. Taking the right into his own hands is great. As long as only I do it, everything will just be fine.

[Wernazuma III]

Berzerker and Sloww: Would you also call it stealing if the person who takes the money in case 3 donates it to a drug threapy program?
If so, why?

[Wraith]

--"And who would this person be, Wraith?"

Ragnar was talking about Robin Hood, in his currently common perception (ie. stealing from the rich and giving to the poor, no further modifiers).

Which is a far cry from the Robin Hood of legend who stole from the opressive, unjust government to return to the rightful owners.

Wraith
"One of these centuries, the brutes, private or public, who believe that they can rule their betters by force, will learn the lesson of what happens when brute force encounters mind and force."
-- Ragnar Danneskjöld ("Atlas Shrugged")

[Ben Kenobi]

Stealing is wrong even if you steal from drug lords.
Why sink to their level?

No to all.

[David Floyd]

Why do you think it is an unethical action to take money from druglords, seeing that it is ill-gotten rich anyway?

I don't consider profiting from selling drugs to be ill-gotten money.

[Berzerker]

Wernazuma -

Berzerker and Sloww: Would you also call it stealing if the person who takes the money in case 3 donates it to a drug threapy program?

Yes.

If so, why?

Because it still meets the definition of theft, the motive doesn't change that. I see several people here have said they'd steal from drug dealers, would you also steal from the local liquor store owner too? How about tobacco farmers? I'd bet fast food outlets "kill" more people than drug dealers, as long as tobacco dealers aren't included, is it okay to steal from McDonalds now if the money is handed over to Jenny Craig? I see no difference between stealing from a drug dealer and any other person with a product or service for sale.

[Charlemagne120]

yes
yes
no

[SlowwHand]

Originally posted by Wernazuma III
Berzerker and Sloww: Would you also call it stealing if the person who takes the money in case 3 donates it to a drug threapy program?
If so, why?

Ethics don't bend.
I also oppose "sting" operations.