DAY 24 – Ethical dilemma: What makes life worth living?

1 What is the role of Nuronium in the lives of the species on your planet, and what happens if
they are deprived of it?
Answer: Nuronium is essential for normal cognition on the planet, and without it,
individuals lose their capacity to imagine, think reflectively, and eventually lose the
ability to make and retain long-term memories.
2 What is the dilemma facing the species on your planet, and what is the proposed alternative
to Nuronium?
Answer: The species faces a dilemma as the source of Nuronium emits a pollutant
causing infertility. The proposed alternative is harvesting an alternate energy source
called Polixate from a passing comet.
3 How long does the species have until extinction if they continue relying on Nuronium, and
what is the unique aspect of the Polixate comet?
Answer: If the species continues relying on Nuronium, they have 100 years until
extinction. The Polixate comet, providing an alternate energy source, will only remain in
orbit for a few days and won't return for centuries.
4 What is Dr. Taylof's argument for continuing to use Nuronium, and what does their group
believe about the value of life without memories and imagination?
Answer: Dr. Taylof argues that the species' culture, achievements, and history make life
worth living. They believe that without memories and imagination, future generations
would essentially be reduced to mindless drones, and their lives would be meaningless.
5 What is Dr. Kahan's argument for switching to Polixate, and what is their perspective on the
value of life?
Answer: Dr. Kahan argues that switching to Polixate would decrease the quality of life
but emphasizes the importance of preserving life itself. They believe that every member
contributes, in small but constant ways, to the betterment of the species, improving the
total happiness.
6 According to Dr. Taylof, what is the fundamental goal of living, and what does meaningfulness
consist of?
Answer: Dr. Taylof believes that the fundamental goal of living is not just happiness but
also meaningfulness. Meaningfulness consists of acting as links in the chain of tradition
and preserving cultural artifacts.
7 Why does Dr. Kahan argue that choosing extinction is fundamentally unethical, and what
analogy does he draw?
Answer: Dr. Kahan argues that choosing extinction is akin to mass murder. He draws an
analogy between what the species does and what is allowed to happen when they could
have acted differently.
8 What is the central point of disagreement between Dr. Taylof and Dr. Kahan regarding the
value of life?
Answer: The central point of disagreement is whether meaningfulness and cultural
preservation (as argued by Dr. Taylof) or the continuation of life itself and the
improvement of total happiness (as argued by Dr. Kahan) is the ultimate goal and value
of life.
9 What is the immediate decision that the administrative council needs your vote on, and what
are the two options?
Answer: The administrative council needs an immediate vote on whether to continue
using Nuronium or mount an expedition to harvest Polixate. The two options are
maintaining the current source or switching to the alternate energy source.
10 What is the time frame for the Polixate comet's availability, and what is the urgency in
making a decision?
Answer: The Polixate comet will only remain in orbit for a few days, and after that, it
won't return for centuries. The urgency lies in the need for an immediate decision to
determine the future energy source for the species.