Would you kill in self defense?

[Smoya]

I've been pondering this question recently and asking myself what I would do in a life or death situation of myself or another person. For the poll I'm keeping life or death broad, but for example, it may include being robbed in your residence/in public, being physically assaulted by someone, or intense situations of that nature.

Personally, I am inclined to say I would - whether that involves using a weapon or not. I would do it to protect the life of myself or another person. Of course, killing someone would be a last resort, as I would do my best to verbally tell the person to stop with what they're attempting, physically try and stop them (without lethal force) or escape, depending on what the situation is. But if it was my only option, I would do whatever it takes to defend myself or another person.

How I would feel about it is another story. I am inclined to say that I would feel sorrow in killing someone, even in defense, because I don't believe taking a life is something ever to feel "proud" (for lack of a better word) about. If I really think about it though, knowing myself, I fear I would lose composure if it was truly a horrible situation such as a violent assault or rape. I feel this way especially if it was another person nearby and not myself. A situation like that may bring out my rawest emotions and I would kill to defend myself, but I wouldn't feel as bad about it. That's just being honest knowing myself and how I think.

So, what would you do and feel, NSG? I'm curious to know, maybe some of your beliefs will help clear up my mixed feelings on the topic.

[Dumb Ideologies]

I think I'd probably be fine with it. I've got no moral objection but you don't really know how you'll react until it happens so...*shrug*

[Smoya]

I think I'd probably be fine with it. I've got no moral objection but you don't really know how you'll react until it happens so...*shrug*

So you wouldn’t feel bad about taking the life of another person, even if it is morally permissible?

[Chernoslavia]

Yes and I wouldn’t feel bad about it.

[Dumb Ideologies]

I think I'd probably be fine with it. I've got no moral objection but you don't really know how you'll react until it happens so...*shrug*

So you wouldn’t feel bad about taking the life of another person, even if it is morally permissible?

I don't believe that the maintenance of another human life has an essential "in principle" value to the extent that guilt is an appropriate reaction to self-defence. It is good that we do not generally kill each other as this would create a level of uncertainty and distrust that would make society non-functional and create more danger. Self-preservation in such cases has no deleterious social effects, and does not infringe on any wider obligations I have to society. It seems like an action one could "own" and stand behind after the event as being necessary and move on rather than allowing it to consume the future.

My philosopher king brain can handle the idea, whether my monkey brain could deal with it in practice is something on which I cannot be sure.

[Albrenia]

I think I would kill in self defence, although I'd feel pretty shitty about taking another human life even so. I'd kill in defence of those I love, and feel considerably less bad about it in that case.

[Internationalist Bastard]

I’ve done it in the army
I’m not sure I could ever do it again

[Dogmeat]

I'm tempted to say, "you can't really know until you try."

But I think, in reality, it depends a lot on the situation, and how you got there. I'd probably react differently depending on all kinds of factors; from how much time I had to think about it, to how much sleep I had the night before.

[Jelmatt]

I think I would... or at least, I'd try. I might freeze in fear or something, as bad as that sounds.

I think I'd feel, well, not great about it... consciously, I think it's entirely OK to kill in self-defense. That doesn't mean the idea wouldn't make me squeamish if it actually came down to it.

[Saiwania]

I probably would, but I'd want to make at least some effort to get them medical treatment once they're down on the ground and not presenting a threat. The key to their survival likely is just to prevent them from losing too much blood. I intend to fire the fewest number of gunshots possible, and to use whatever causes less damage relatively speaking- full metal jacket ammunition as opposed to hollow point.

[Shofercia]

I've been pondering this question recently and asking myself what I would do in a life or death situation of myself or another person. For the poll I'm keeping life or death broad, but for example, it may include being robbed in your residence/in public, being physically assaulted by someone, or intense situations of that nature.

Personally, I am inclined to say I would - whether that involves using a weapon or not. I would do it to protect the life of myself or another person. Of course, killing someone would be a last resort, as I would do my best to verbally tell the person to stop with what they're attempting, physically try and stop them (without lethal force) or escape, depending on what the situation is. But if it was my only option, I would do whatever it takes to defend myself or another person.

How I would feel about it is another story. I am inclined to say that I would feel sorrow in killing someone, even in defense, because I don't believe taking a life is something ever to feel "proud" (for lack of a better word) about. If I really think about it though, knowing myself, I fear I would lose composure if it was truly a horrible situation such as a violent assault or rape. I feel this way especially if it was another person nearby and not myself. A situation like that may bring out my rawest emotions and I would kill to defend myself, but I wouldn't feel as bad about it. That's just being honest knowing myself and how I think.

So, what would you do and feel, NSG? I'm curious to know, maybe some of your beliefs will help clear up my mixed feelings on the topic.

For me - life and death means someone's pointing a gun at me. A real gun. I wouldn't hesitate to take him/her out. But if someone's just robbing my place - that's what a taser's for. I don't mind going after pricks, but they have to be pricks. Otherwise the actions should be proportional to the crime. Rape and murder are the only crimes that deserve a bullet to the head. Would I feel bad about it? Nah. Planet's got a lot of humans, what's one murdering rapist? Not much. Probably, it'd be an improvement for society. But, as I said before, only if it's rape or murder.

[Oil exporting People]

Not only in self-defense, but pre-emptively too. About the closest I ever had to this sort of situation occurring was when some dude pulled a gun at a party and was threatening people with it; I interjected myself into that and essentially threatened him until he backed down and left.

[Constitutional Technocracy of Minecraft]

If someone was actually trying to kill me: Yes, but I'd feel really bad about it

If they were just trying to rob me or something like that: No, I wouldn't kill them for that (I'd just fight them off or run)

[Victorious Decepticons]

If someone is trying to kill, rape, or otherwise cause me great bodily harm: I certainly would kill them if I could, and on top of that, I'd be glad I defeated them utterly.

If someone's trying to rob me, it depends on: Whether they threaten me (if yes, then that's a threat to my life, which means it's Mortal Kombat IRL time), what they're trying to jack, and especially, how hard it would be for me to get another one of the same or better quality. My intention would probably be to fight them into submission or run them off rather than kill them, but in any fight, there's a risk that the winner will go too far and end up killing the other guy. I wouldn't be bothered if he ended up on the short end of that stick.

[Albrenia]

Not only in self-defense, but pre-emptively too. About the closest I ever had to this sort of situation occurring was when some dude pulled a gun at a party and was threatening people with it; I interjected myself into that and essentially threatened him until he backed down and left.

Kudos for settling the situation without anyone getting hurt, by the by.

[Olthar]

I would not intentionally try to kill anyone, but I would not shy away from using potentially deadly weapons to defend myself. If I end up killing someone on accident, I'm sure I'd feel terrible, but probably not guilty.

[Oil exporting People]

Not only in self-defense, but pre-emptively too. About the closest I ever had to this sort of situation occurring was when some dude pulled a gun at a party and was threatening people with it; I interjected myself into that and essentially threatened him until he backed down and left.

Kudos for settling the situation without anyone getting hurt, by the by.

Honestly I'm pretty lucky it didn't end with a lot of people getting shot up. I was drunk as hell, so I can't remember if I just walked towards him until he focused solely on me or if I got in front of the people he was originally pointing at, but either way I got him focused on me and I basically started insulting him; among choice insults was to call him a pistol whipping bitch for not shooting me. Thankfully, this called his bluff and he just left, if he had gotten mad instead of embarrassed or whatever, I would've been screwed.

[The Huskar Social Union]

Yes if i absolutely had to to defend myself or someone else, no idea how i would feel about it afterwards though.

[Gim]

I may permanently damage a person, but I wouldn't kill him, since I won't be risking crime.

[Datlofff]

I've been pondering this question recently and asking myself what I would do in a life or death situation of myself or another person. For the poll I'm keeping life or death broad, but for example, it may include being robbed in your residence/in public, being physically assaulted by someone, or intense situations of that nature.

Personally, I am inclined to say I would - whether that involves using a weapon or not. I would do it to protect the life of myself or another person. Of course, killing someone would be a last resort, as I would do my best to verbally tell the person to stop with what they're attempting, physically try and stop them (without lethal force) or escape, depending on what the situation is. But if it was my only option, I would do whatever it takes to defend myself or another person.

How I would feel about it is another story. I am inclined to say that I would feel sorrow in killing someone, even in defense, because I don't believe taking a life is something ever to feel "proud" (for lack of a better word) about. If I really think about it though, knowing myself, I fear I would lose composure if it was truly a horrible situation such as a violent assault or rape. I feel this way especially if it was another person nearby and not myself. A situation like that may bring out my rawest emotions and I would kill to defend myself, but I wouldn't feel as bad about it. That's just being honest knowing myself and how I think.

So, what would you do and feel, NSG? I'm curious to know, maybe some of your beliefs will help clear up my mixed feelings on the topic.

For me - life and death means someone's pointing a gun at me. A real gun. I wouldn't hesitate to take him/her out. But if someone's just robbing my place - that's what a taser's for. I don't mind going after pricks, but they have to be pricks. Otherwise the actions should be proportional to the crime. Rape and murder are the only crimes that deserve a bullet to the head. Would I feel bad about it? Nah. Planet's got a lot of humans, what's one murdering rapist? Not much. Probably, it'd be an improvement for society. But, as I said before, only if it's rape or murder.

Remember to bring your gun too just in case, there have been plenty of situations with law enforcement where people who are high or even just drunk have not been incapacitated by tasers in the slightest.

Exhibit A: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y7X3qFPgOA4

[Datlofff]

I would not hesitate to end someones life if they broke into my home, I feel as if I would be shaken up quite badly for doing it, but in the long run I would get over it as my killings would be justified.

[Sovaal]

My life or theirs, or even worse my family member’s life or theirs, and I’m not picking them.

[Sovaal]

I think I'd probably be fine with it. I've got no moral objection but you don't really know how you'll react until it happens so...*shrug*

That’s a good point.

[Big Jim P]

In my opinion there are exactly two legitimate reasons to kill. Self defense falls under one of them.

[Sovaal]

In my opinion there are exactly two legitimate reasons to kill. Self defense falls under one of them.

What’s the other?