100 Homeless People

Jeremy Bentham! A "Lost" reference! "No" you say? Jeremy Bentham came before "Lost"? So this isn't an excuse to write about "Lost"? Damn.

It is a good topic, Kyle. Yet you surprise me. I am shocked you have such faith in the ingrained educational system. This is the problem with the hypothetical in my opinion. Doesn't it matter what KIND of doctors or teachers they are? If they are fifteen of the smartest, most forward looking, outside-the-box teachers, then I agree. However, if it was a random sampling of fifteen teachers I suspect the utility would be severely less. I mean I had a useless driving instructor once, he wouldn't let us go on the highway. I would definitely save ONE homeless person over that guy. I think the same thing applies to the doctors. Yes, if it was pediatrician, a neuro-surgeon and a clinical psychiatrist, they would be worth saving. But if it was a random sampling of doctors (which would almost certainly contain a plastic-surgeon) then the utility would be less. To this end, I think based simply on sample-size the hundred homeless people would be most likely to produce the most utility because, based on what I just wrote, I think a random sampling of homeless people would be likely to have more then five useful members (especially in the shitty economy).

This question is represents both what I love about Philosophy and why I decided not to pursue a graduate degree. I need my philosophy to have some direct contact with the real world and too often in spins out of control. But the question is undeniably a fascinating one. We obviously make social utility decisions every day. Every war is, on a base level, about this (even if it is about one person determining that he or she is more important then a million others).

Kyle, as I said above, I'm surprised that you think teachers would provide the highest utility. I would love for you to elaborate on why, if you faced this question in the real world, you would chose the fifteen teachers. Can you name fifteen teachers period who you would save? Maybe you are less cynical then you seem.