Cat Microwave Question More Explicitly Stated

[David Sklansky]

Didn't mean the first question to be ambiguous. And the vast disparity of answers makes me wonder if that would continue if the question was clearer.

An adult, non mentally retarded person is about to gleefully torture and kill a random cat by frying it in a microwave. You can stop it, but if you do, the person somehow loses his hand. How doesn't matter. Would you stop the execution?

I phrase the question this way because I believe I am right at the line for most people. Almost no one would kill any human to save a cat that wasn't their pet. Very few would kill an innocent human, even painlessly, to keep a random cat from dying painfully. Most would not maim even a scoundrel to keep a random cat from dying peacefully.

On the other hand most people would subject themselves or others to moderate discomfort to keep a cat from dying tortuously. And most would subject the actual prospective torturer, to serious discomfort or pain, to stop his deed.

The question I asked is in between those parameters.

PS I don't think it is useful to bring up the fact that the torturer may one day be a neurosurgeon or that he deserves maiming. I'm really only asking what lengths you would go to, to save the cat, if there is a non innocent human hurt in the process.

[shaniac]

Save the cat, f the dude's hand.

[Cue-Ball 66]

I'd chop his hand off for sure.

He may not be mentally retarded...but he has some serious issues if he 'gleefully' put a cat in a microwave.

[Trouthunter]

If it's an innocent human, the cat fries. This is a non-innocent human, so save the cat and he can lose his hand.

[limon]

i feel somehow that you must warn the dude that he is going to lose his hand if he continues. even among torturers/delinquents there is a continuum. he may only be 51% sure he wants to continue. the real sickos will ignore your warning.

[ut2010]

The dude IS a sicko if he is gleefully frying a cat. The guy deserves to be punished and I don't even like cats.

[J_B]

Is it a house cat or a feral cat?

[jjshabado]

So my gut reaction is that I'd save the cat. [censored] the guy.

However, I would not support a criminal punishment of losing a hand for the crime of torturing an animal. I think you could reasonably assume that if this was the punishment it would save at least some animals lives.

Whats the difference?

[Farfenugen]

[ QUOTE ]
If it's an innocent human, the cat fries. This is a non-innocent human, so save the cat and he can lose his hand.

[/ QUOTE ]

Which is the whole freakin point of the question. Does the fact that this person is killing a cat gleefullyand for no other benefit than to give him pleasure make him non-innocent?

I say the dude's hand goes.

[ QUOTE ]
However, I would not support a criminal punishment of losing a hand for the crime of torturing an animal. I think you could reasonably assume that if this was the punishment it would save at least some animals lives.

Whats the difference?


[/ QUOTE ]

I think there is a difference in that a criminal law takes the judgement out of your hands. There is an uncertainty that I personally find uncomfortable when giving judgement up to other, however qualified.

[mikechops]

Isn't torturing animals a precursor to doing the same to humans? Even if this guy doesn't get around to kidnapping kids, I can almost gaurantee he is an absolute [censored] to people around him.