Hypothetical Fear as a Basis for Decision Making.

[Dooga Blackrazor]

I wan't sure whether to post this here or in Value Theory. I meant to post it in Value Theory so the moderators can move it if they wish. I have no preference personally.

What does everyone think of hypothetical fear as a basis for decision making? Examples:

I don't want to kill an animal because "I wouldn't want them to treat me like we treat them - if our roles were reversed".

You shouldn't hurt other people because "you wouldn't want them to hurt you - even if they can't".

People should buy life insurance because "they could die and leave their family with nothing".

Is hypothetical fear ever a justification for doing something? Should the instance of acting on hypothetical fear be based on probability, or the theory being the hypothetical situation itself?

Thoughts?

[Preator Fenix]

Fear is THE fundamental motivator.

It is the most primitive and most powerful of all human emotions. In the name of fear they will DO ANYTHING, including gouging the eyes of their parents with their own fingers if need be.

It is also little wonder that this would be the frist emotion nature would chance upon,a after all constant and unrelenting fear is critical for continued survival in a complex and hostile enivorment like nature.

[Jeebus]

Is hypothetical fear ever a justification for doing something? Should the instance of acting on hypothetical fear be based on probability, or the theory being the hypothetical situation itself?


Hypothetical fear would come from moral values, however, the problem we have is we don't know how consciousness and moralistic value compares with each other in retrospect.