Who Would You Save?

[artdutra04]

Solution: make the person who dreamed of this scenario walk the plank then put everyone else in the lifeboat, where they would suck it up being uncomfortable having 11 people in a 7 person lifeboat until either rescued or drift onshore.

Since the story is also loose on details, generally crippled != sunk. If by "crippled" they mean irreparable propulsion (engine, sails, etc) damage but with no structural damage to the hull, then why even leave the boat? But if there is hull damage and the boat is sinking, then at that point gather as much floatable objects at once and make a quick ad hoc raft to carry the other survivors and as much food and water as possible. If the boat is slowly sinking, and everyone and everything is in the lifeboat and/or makeshift rafts that's worth saving, then light the remains of the ship on fire before it sinks away. The plume of smoke will be visible from a long ways away and might help your case of being rescued if spotted by other boats or aircraft in the area.

Besides, this is pointless. Anyone on a real sinking ship is going to live in the moment, and not give even the slightest thought to who would help them survive longer if they drifted onto a deserted island. At that point it would be women and children first into the lifeboat.

[Molten]

Originally Posted by artdutra04

Besides, this is pointless.

Ok, notice that he said it was for a sociology class which usually means pointless in any form of logic. It is more about what thought process you would go through if you had time to think. It is about understanding how you think. To be honest, it is one of the classes that the less you think, the better you are off. This is why it probably isn't the best class for engineers. We tend to like to think things through.

[ScottOliveira]

Who I would save:
1:A college professor would hopefully possess some leadership skills, and could help take command. Botany is an excellent hobby to have for such a situation, in order to help identify useful plants. Will be damaged by loss of wife and child, but will hopefully be able to recover.


4:Working in the service industry (both as waitress and prostitute) would necessitate good people skills. Easy enough to get along with. While not highly educated, most of the skills you would learn in high school are not valuable in a survival situation, so not a large hindrance.

6: Trade school education is possibly valuable, although it doesn't specify which trade. Art talent is useful for helping keep people entertained and morale high. Young, which means she is less likely to have serious health complications. Glasses could present a problem if damaged, but not enough information is given to know for sure. However in many modern glasses, the frames are more likely to break than the actual lenses, so something can be rigged to hold the lenses.

7:Young and very well educated (medical school). Medical school knowledge would be useful for treating any problems that might arise. Music can help keep people entertained. Being a physical fitness nut means he is likely to be able to help with hard labor, not as likely to get ill.

9: Experience in construction would be valuable. Knowledge of mechanics would likely prove useful. Enjoys outdoors, so would be better able to cope, may have understanding of survival. Possible conflicts with #10 due to views on racial issues.

10: Farming background would be very valuable. Hopefully still fit as a former college athlete, but not specified. Religion can be helpful as a comfort to the survivors, could also cause conflicts. May have conflicts with #9, but farming background too valuable to ignore.

11: A practicing doctor is very useful to have, even with a medical student already on the list. However his poor health and advanced age will be a problem. Ultimately however, he presents a better option than any of the remaining candidates. His love of literature could help to provide entertainment.


People not to bring
2: While it would be very useful to have a psychologist and mental health worker, her poor physical condition would be detrimental. The diabetes would also be a problem, with no sure way to monitor blood sugar levels, and no guarantee for an easy way to adjust them.

3: The mentally impaired child would prove a burden on the other people on the island, and has no useful skills.

5: Too young to perform any sort of labor, will prove a hindrance.

8: There is unlikely to be any working electronics on the island, so the skills of an electrical engineer are not necessary. No beneficial other skills listed. While her age is acceptable, there is nothing to distinguish her above any other member.


The big choice involved #2 and #11. Both present useful skills and severe health problems. I ended up going with #11 because a diabetic crisis seemed like it would arise sooner than another heart issue. Would definitely be willing to substitute the two however.

[Wayne C.]

I love these sort of scenarios and think about them all the time (Scary huh....)


Assuming I too would be in the life boat and have my Water Buffalo Killer Knife (yes- I always have that and other things with me)..

I would save

1. Dr. Dane-a botanist has a fair understanding of food plants and pharmacology
4. Mrs Victor-tough enough to survive a lot of hardships
6 Mary Evans-young (durable) and creative
7. Mr. Newton-med background and physically fit
8. Mrs. Clark-young enough to survive, skills of little use based on descrip
9. Mr. Blake- possible designer for escape and shelter
10.Father Frans-obvious farming skills but also a good moderator for the population

I would leave behind (sorry)-
2. Mrs Dane- probable non-survivor
3. Bobby- tough choice- could probably survive but as limited contributor to the survival of the rest ( I might change my mind here and drop Mrs. Clark)
5. Jeanne Garcia- how would you feed a 3 month old without a milk source?
11. Dr. Gonzales- for a doctor he doesnt seem to have very good health and probably would be of little help. The med student probably knows enough to deal with first aid type situations.


Assuming a reasonable part of the world as a place to land on a small island with a seacoast might support 8 people indefinitely. There is always food. There is an ocean for water if you can refine it. It wouldn't be fun but it is possible. And , like Gilligan, we could eventually escape

WC

[Herodotus]

Thinking entirely logically and with no emotion involved,and working within the usual rules for these thought problems, here are my choices.

I didn't think about who I'd want most, but who I'd want least. 3 and 5 were the first to go because they are both too young and wouldn't be able to add as much as the others to survival. My next thought was 2 or 11 because of their health problems, and ultimately I'd choose to leave behind 2, because theoretically 11 can get into better health to keep from having a heart attack, but if 2 doesn't have a ready source of insulin there might be some problems. Finally after leaving behind both 2 and 3 I figured 1 would be the least useful because of the psychological trauma of having to leave behind both his wife and child.

Now, in reality I would put eight people on the raft, giving one of them my seat, including the most unhealthy ones. I would then rip some wood planking from the ship and build small rafts for myself and the three healthiest other people, likely 1, 7, and 10.

[Molten]

I honestly think 3 is underestimated. Sure, he doesn't have the best mental facilities. However, do you really want to be climbing trees and stuff?(Think fruit). Sometimes it helps to have a kid. Especially if you need small fingers or such.

[Akash Rastogi]

Originally Posted by Molten

I honestly think 3 is underestimated. Sure, he doesn't have the best mental facilities. However, do you really want to be climbing trees and stuff?(Think fruit). Sometimes it helps to have a kid. Especially if you need small fingers or such.

Yea if he doesn't climb the trees, how are you supposed to make coconut radios?

[JaneYoung]

So, just taking a guess here but, will the results show the percentages of those who are driven to survive at all costs, regardless of the dim or grim prospects - to the point of losing all compassion and kindness when facing catastrophe? It boils down to survival of the fittest, period?

It would be interesting to see who firefighters would save and why.

This assignment isn't pointless and it does create opportunities to think and to use a system of logic to 'justify' your choices, shifting allegiances and changing, suspending, or dropping biases if the end result better insures your survival. It also creates opportunities to reveal sides of yourself and your society that you may not have thought about.

[XaulZan11]

Originally Posted by Molten

Ok, notice that he said it was for a sociology class which usually means pointless in any form of logic. It is more about what thought process you would go through if you had time to think. It is about understanding how you think. To be honest, it is one of the classes that the less you think, the better you are off. This is why it probably isn't the best class for engineers. We tend to like to think things through.

Not sure I quite agree with that...

Anyway, I wouldn't save:

3: too young and wouldn't contribute enough
4: lack of education and lack of contribution
5: too young
9: anti-black views could be a sign of much more drama