[Avodah] Balancing needs

[Chana Luntz]

RMB wrote:
On Wed, Jan 04, 2012 at 10:50:29AM -0000, Chana Luntz wrote:
: On a more philosophical note, is not this debate reminiscent of the
: debates over utilitarianism...

>I think halakhah reflects a greater concern over deontological ethics
>rather than consequentialist ones. IOW, we care more about minimizing
>the number of murderers than minimizing the number of murdered. I'm
>not utilitarianism fits, if I am correct.

>This is why, when a group of Jews is told to pick one to be killed or
>all will, they may not choose. (Unless one if chayav misah, or named
>in the threat, and then machloqes abounds.) Even though whomever they
>pick out is one of the "all" would would get killed anyway. Because
>deontologically, by choosing one of their number to turn over to the
>killers, they participate in the murder.

I agree with the analysis in this case.  And my instincts are that halacha
is generally not utilitarian - but I would be loathe at this stage to say
that it is *never* utilitarian, and certainly that it is never
consequentialist.  After all, the definition of wisdom in pirkei avos
relates to being able to identify consequences.  Is one not to apply wisdom,
or is wisdom irrelevant to the application of halacha? 

>-Micha

Regards

Chana