You are in a position to create something that falls under freedom of expression. If you create it, you stand to make massive profit. For argument let us use a number of at least tens of millions.
However, if you create and release it you are guaranteed that people will die. Maybe not intended by you, but they will die nonetheless. A magical, all-knowing Oracle can guarantee that if you release it then 1000 people will die (not intended, promoted or suggested by you in any means outside of the open-to-interpretation "art"). If you choose not to release it then they will not die from the same cause--they could live long lives and be productive members of society.
The examples could be:
- A rap CD (or a music label with many CDs), which, upon release, indirectly creates a rise in gang-on-gang violence due to some lyrics. 1000 people die over a few years.
- A video game that many children, in their stupidity, try to imitate on their own (backyard wrestling, or some such) and they or people they attack die as a result. 1000 people in total are killed because of this.
- A painting that insults Mohamed and causes massive rioting around the world. 1000 people die.
In all cases you could make tens of millions of dollars. You know with certainty, though, that people will die even if it is not your intent. Is it ethical or unethical, given that you are absolutely certain what the outcome will be?
Is it not your fault because people are ultimately responsible for their own actions? Would you produce the item, make the money and shrug off the deaths as the actions of others and there responsibility in entirety?
Also keep in mind that it won't just be the people who had interacted with the artifact, but people who may just be at the wrong place and wrong time (someone get shot in gang crossfire, an angry teen attacks the first student they see, or a bystander going home gets trampled in a riot).
Basically: do you have a responsibility to not release it if you know with certainty that people will die?
However, if you create and release it you are guaranteed that people will die. Maybe not intended by you, but they will die nonetheless. A magical, all-knowing Oracle can guarantee that if you release it then 1000 people will die (not intended, promoted or suggested by you in any means outside of the open-to-interpretation "art"). If you choose not to release it then they will not die from the same cause--they could live long lives and be productive members of society.
The examples could be:
- A rap CD (or a music label with many CDs), which, upon release, indirectly creates a rise in gang-on-gang violence due to some lyrics. 1000 people die over a few years.
- A video game that many children, in their stupidity, try to imitate on their own (backyard wrestling, or some such) and they or people they attack die as a result. 1000 people in total are killed because of this.
- A painting that insults Mohamed and causes massive rioting around the world. 1000 people die.
In all cases you could make tens of millions of dollars. You know with certainty, though, that people will die even if it is not your intent. Is it ethical or unethical, given that you are absolutely certain what the outcome will be?
Is it not your fault because people are ultimately responsible for their own actions? Would you produce the item, make the money and shrug off the deaths as the actions of others and there responsibility in entirety?
Also keep in mind that it won't just be the people who had interacted with the artifact, but people who may just be at the wrong place and wrong time (someone get shot in gang crossfire, an angry teen attacks the first student they see, or a bystander going home gets trampled in a riot).
Basically: do you have a responsibility to not release it if you know with certainty that people will die?
Facebook
Twitter