The Bank Robbers

**Ristaron** · 02-16-2007, 12:37 PM

I've seen plenty of debate lately in the Religion section over the justice of killing. Some say to kill a murderer who will kill again saves lives, and I agree. Some say killing a pedophile will prevent him from sexually harassing more people... and I agree.
And then we get into possible murderers and possible pedophiles... and we have to ask ourselves when does it become wrong?

I am putting this thread in philosophy because this is a philosophical question more than it is a religious one. And I'll give a solid example so people don't go making up stupid scenarios that reality would never suffer to exist.

Three guys have planned a bank robbery. They have all they need, guns, walky-talkies, masks, bags for the money, and a getaway van.
So they all get in the van, and start driving to the bank.
Along the way, they blow a tire.
Discouraged, they give up their plan and return home.

Have they done anything wrong?

I say no. The reason: we are free to think what we like, even if it means conspiring to atrocities, so long as we don't harm anyone. Even if nobody was physically injured in a bank robbery, people have been stolen from, which hurts them financially and emotionally (not to mention the emotional trauma that would be inflicted on everyone around during the heist).

Debate.

**SARS-expl0ted** · 02-16-2007, 12:46 PM

Yea. They did as much as a group of kids sitting around talking about how they want to kill so-and-so.
...but it is all how you take it, I guess.

They still think wrong though, you know?
They were going to do it. What would have happened if the tire didn't mess up?

I might think too far into this. I agree with you though. They did nothing wrong, at all. Like I said, they did as mush as people sitting around talking about what they want to do to so-and-so or how they want to blow up such-and-such.

ohsoindie · 02-16-2007, 12:49 PM

No. They haven't done anything wrong. They haven't stolen anything, haven't harmed anyone. There is no evidence against them, there is no case. They could easily argue that they carry those guns for safety, the bags for clothing, the masks for skiing, the walky-talkies for laser tag, and drive the van because they think it looks rad.

**Brother of Yeshua** · 02-16-2007, 12:56 PM

This reminds me of the episode of the Simpsons where Sideshow Bob said "Attempted murder, now honestly, what is that? Do they give a Nobel Prize for attempted chemistry?"

They could be charged with conspiracy to commit a felony maybe?

I tend to agree with Sars though. We all break laws or think about breaking laws everyday. Sure it's not bank robbery that most of us are involved with, but should we get a ticket because we thought about speeding? Should I be arrested because I thought about killing a bully when I was in middle school?

I also agree with you Sars that I may end up thinking too far into this.

02-16-2007, 01:04 PM

If we're going to arrest people for thinking about doing bad things then this is going to quickly turn into 1984 and we'll all be running from the Thought Police.

katrinav · 02-16-2007, 01:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ristaron

I say no. The reason: we are free to think what we like, even if it means conspiring to atrocities, so long as we don't harm anyone.

i don't think they did anything wrong. they had up until the very moment they did it to change their minds.

i have a question for you though. what about people who look at child pornography then? that's against the law, just to look at it. and if you just LOOK at it you techniccally didn't "harm" anybody because you're not the one who made it. so do you think that those people did anything wrong?

**SARS-expl0ted** · 02-16-2007, 01:06 PM

Yea.

...or something like Farenheight 451.
I loved that book.

**Ristaron** · 02-16-2007, 01:18 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by katrinav

i don't think they did anything wrong. they had up until the very moment they did it to change their minds.

i have a question for you though. what about people who look at child pornography then? that's against the law, just to look at it. and if you just LOOK at it you techniccally didn't "harm" anybody because you're not the one who made it. so do you think that those people did anything wrong?

I believe I gave a sound example for the purpose of not complicating matters, but I'll answer your question:

By looking at child pornography you support the people who create it, who harm the children in the process of making it.

ogrish14 · 02-16-2007, 01:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ristaron

Three guys have planned a bank robbery. They have all they need, guns, walky-talkies, masks, bags for the money, and a getaway van.
So they all get in the van, and start driving to the bank.
Along the way, they blow a tire.
Discouraged, they give up their plan and return home.

Have they done anything wrong?

From a legal standpoint, yes, they've done wrong because they conspired to commit a crime and took steps towards committing the crime. If they merely discussed robbing a bank, then there wouldn't have been a problem.

**SARS-expl0ted** · 02-16-2007, 01:48 PM

...but they still didn't do it.
I see where you are coming from. I thought about that too...but they still, technically didn't do anything.