Dilemma....Instinct VS Altruism. Honestly,what would YOU do?

Keeping my kid. I couldn't care less about other people that I don't know if it is my own child's life that is on the line. (no pun intended) Such a moment would have ones choice heavily influenced by such an adrenaline rush (which would no doubt occur), that I see no way for instinct to fail. I honestly believe that anyone here who has children would not choose the saints and philosophers, even if they to say otherwise....unless they were psychopaths (incapable of feeling empathy)

EDIT: You'll probably find this book interesting. http://www.amazon.com/Mountain-People-Colin-M-Turn...

It tells of an anthropologist who lives with a tribe in Africa for a couple years, who were so desperate for food that they forsook their own relatives prioritizing their own survival.....they were kicking their kids out of the house to fend for their own at the ripe age of 3 years old! People were lying and manipulating others for their own gain at the costs of others, eating in secret, and laughing when others were seriously injured. This is what happens in dire situations where altruism is not a viable luxury, and that is all that altruism is, a luxury, an ultimately selfish act with the usually unconsciousness attempt to feel good, and as such a manifestation of instinct in social animals. There are no "self less acts," and it's time that we stop convincing ourselves otherwise.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/artic...

If it's a group of saints, altruists and great philosophers, then that's already at least three adults and there's no WAY I could ever pull them up all by myself. Let's say I was an adult with a child. The only one with a chance of surviving is the child, since I can't save the saints.

Buh-bye, altruists.

I would do this even if it wasn't MY child. I would save as many people as I can, and here, that's one person.

Of course, I could look for a tree and try to tie one of the ropes to it, but that would be hard.

Can't the saints climb? Is the cliff really smooth or something?

If I save my child, it's instinct. If I save the saints, etc., it's altruism. If I sacrifice myself to save them all, it's my humanity asserting itself. But if I had to choose, then I would find a way to get the altruists and philosophers to safety and let the saints fall.

Wait....Why not switch hands, obviously I have one freakishly massive arm like a soldier crab if i am able to hold on to a rope attached to a whole group of people.

Just switch em over and rescue both.

Honestly it makes more sense to let the kid drop.

The world needs more exceptional people and I could always make another kid.

I would let the saints fall without a second thought and without a moment's regret.

Still I would salute and respect the incredibly selfless act of someone so amazingly altruistic as to let their son die.

Child.

I could always sacrifice myself and save both.

edit; hey, you said the magic p-word.

I have a lot of respect for philosophy.

p.s; an added advantage of this would be that my child would be well looked after...

my kid stays.

I have no use for "Saints" and I find the idea of a true altruist to be a fallacy.

Anyone who doesn't say their own child shouldn't be allowed to have children

Besides, there's no such thing as altruism

Bye bye saints.