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Ending of Watchmen graphic novel

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Mnrchst

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There's probably already been a few threads on this. Anyway, I sent this to Peikoff, so I thought it'd be cool to start a thread. There might not be enough info in my question to know what the correct answer is, so there's also the question regarding the situation in the book itself (with any relevant context).

"In the graphic novel, THE WATCHMEN, a character named Ozymandias fakes an extra-terrestrial invasion which kills millions in order unify governments around defeating extra-terrestrials as opposed to trying to destroy each other. He does this while the U.S. and the Soviet Union are on the brink of a full-scale nuclear war which appears all but certain to occur and result in billions of deaths.

After Ozymandias accomplishes his goal and prevents the war, a character named Rorshach decides he will reveal the truth behind what happened, even though this may cause the war to occur. In order to prevent this, a character named Dr. Manhattan kills him.

Who was right? Who was wrong?"

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I'll be listening for his response, but I have a feeling that his response would most likely be something like: this is a fictional scenario and so impossible and far removed from ever actually happening that you can't say who is right or wrong.

But even if it could happen, and Ozymandias could do such a thing, do you honestly think it would actually stop all wars on Earth? I'm no history buff, but when the Europeans arrived in the Americas, did all of the different indigenous tribes suddenly become peaceful with one another after hundreds of years of fighting?

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I'll be listening for his response, but I have a feeling that his response would most likely be something like: this is a fictional scenario and so impossible and far removed from ever actually happening that you can't say who is right or wrong.

But even if it could happen, and Ozymandias could do such a thing, do you honestly think it would actually stop all wars on Earth? I'm no history buff, but when the Europeans arrived in the Americas, did all of the different indigenous tribes suddenly become peaceful with one another after hundreds of years of fighting?

I think the question is better phrased as, is it moral to kill a man to save several men.

Personaly, I would side with Ozymandias. As death will occur no matter what, the best that can be done is to minimise it.

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I think the question is better phrased as, is it moral to kill a man to save several men.

Personaly, I would side with Ozymandias. As death will occur no matter what, the best that can be done is to minimise it.

But there is no proof that this will minimize it. And he doesn't just kill one man, he blows up an entire city. Granted the book goes to great lengths to portray the entire city as full of evil people, but again that's fiction.

And also, in the novel, it seems his plan does work, but in real life, I just can't see how you can justify such a faux peace based on shocking the world's nations through fear. It's not a better scenario.

That's like saying religion helps to make the world better by scaring people into not stealing.

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