The ethics of not knowing

[orpiment99]

So you don't think its fair to expect someone who see's someone dying of a poison that they have a large quantity of the antitdote to heal them, or someone starving and a person who has plenty of food to give them some?

Because inaction can have just as dire outcomes as a negative action, I can't agree with you, and the law disagree's as well, with the concept of negligence.

That is not what I implied. My moral code obligates me to take actions that I feel are right. However, my morals are not law, nor is anyone required to do what I think is morally correct. Furthermore, I would prefer that others not legislate my morals, so why would I agree with forcing others to my own?

I agree that inaction is wrong, I thought I implied this when I said:

However, my personal morals would be to list the information. The world would be so much better if everyone would just do what they can reasonably be expected to do to help others and realize what they would feel like if they were in the same position as someone else.

 

[WolfAU]

My point is about I believe it IS fair to LEGALLY OBLIGATE people to take action, when inaction can have very predictable and harmful results (example if I see a child playing in the street and I see a car coming, and make no attempt whatsoever to stop the car or move the child, I have no problem with that being against the law).

 

[orpiment99]

My point is about I believe it IS fair to LEGALLY OBLIGATE people to take action, when inaction can have very predictable and harmful results (example if I see a child playing in the street and I see a car coming, and make no attempt whatsoever to stop the car or move the child, I have no problem with that being against the law).

I agree with you, up to a point. Laws should be about the welfare of society. Should you be legally obligated in the above instance? Reasonably, yes, but what if the hypothetical person who could have taken action froze up? Should they face legal repercussions for not having done something, when it wasn't done with malicious intent or lack of interest? Anyway, your above instance is something I would put under the umbrella of the public good, not necessarily legislating morality.