My Cat Question

David Sklansky · #1 09-26-2006, 01:02 AM

I've decided to repeat a question I left at the bottom of another thread.

An eccentric old lady leaves a $100,000 diamond necklace to her pet cat to play with after she is gone. Assuming that if you steal it, you will use the money for personal gain for you and your family, how bad off would you have to be for to make it right?

#2 09-26-2006, 01:26 AM

Is my relationship with the old lady or the cat relevant?

Am I the "custodian" for the cat, or just an a neutral party?

Lestat · #3 09-26-2006, 01:33 AM

I would steal it to save a human life and even then, I'd confess to the theft and accept the consequences after the life was saved. Otherwise, I simply don't steal.

I would expect religious people to be taken aback that an atheist would not steal. But why are you so surprised? I don't believe I've seen your thorough justification on why you seem to condone theft in certain circumstances. With all due respect, does your whole world view come down to mathematics and nothing more?

David Sklansky · #4 09-26-2006, 01:56 AM

You are lying. You would steal that necklace to keep someone from having their leg amputated. You would steal it to pay the one defense attorney who would keep your innocent friend out of jail. You would steal it to seperate Siamese twins. And you would steal it in close situations where you wouldn't steal $100K from a middle class human.

And what on Earth makes you think that this is in any way a math problem?

Lestat · #5 09-26-2006, 02:05 AM

<font color="blue">You are lying. </font>

Not lying, just not thinking it all the way through before answering. Yes, I would steal it for those reasons as well, but again, would confess after the fact.

Maybe math wasn't the right word either... Theivery to me, contains an element of bad character. I suppose I'm ok with "commadeering" the money to be used in your examples. But stealing implies a vile act which you would not be willing to admit to. Taking something which is not yours to take for selfish gain, etc. This is my problem with the way you're phrasing these questions.

David Sklansky · #6 09-26-2006, 02:10 AM

You have slipped lately. I use the word steal to save letters. Obviously. And your comment about how the Angolan kid could use his talents was horribly off the subject. Guesswest has now pulled ahead of you. Maybe Mickey Braush as well.

Lestat · #7 09-26-2006, 02:21 AM

I'm also a fan of Guesswest and Mickey Brausch. I don't mind defering to them.

yukoncpa · #8 09-26-2006, 02:54 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I've decided to repeat a question I left at the bottom of another thread.

An eccentric old lady leaves a $100,000 diamond necklace to her pet cat to play with after she is gone. Assuming that if you steal it, you will use the money for personal gain for you and your family, how bad off would you have to be for to make it right?

[/ QUOTE ]
Who owns the cat when she dies? If the cat is just to be set free in the woods with it's new play toy upon her death, then of course I would steal the necklace. I wouldn't care what I used the money for.

PLOlover · #9 09-26-2006, 04:34 AM

[ QUOTE ]
Who owns the cat when she dies? If the cat is just to be set free in the woods with it's new play toy upon her death, then of course I would steal the necklace. I wouldn't care what I used the money for.

[/ QUOTE ]

Yes, I don't think cats have property rights, so the question is ill formed

hmkpoker · #10 09-26-2006, 04:44 AM

Who owns the cat?