[Barry the Sprout]

Originally posted by Timber Loftis: But, you've not answered the question, Barry. HOW would you get the best out of the situation? What would the utilitarian DO? I'm pretty utilitarian too, and I see my answer as a quick and efficient and just solution for society. But, I'm *positive* we differ on what should be done.

Ah well, if it were up to me I'd try and find out why she wants to kill her kids and work from there. If it can be "cured" for want of a better word, then lets do that. If rehabilitation is a possibility then lets do that. In this case, as in all others in my opinion, the utility loss to the person concerned due to the loss of life overrides any possible (and in this particular case very minimal) utility gain from killing her. I do not believe she should be killed or punished just because she did something wrong. If it would discourage other people from her course of action then punishment might be a good idea, but I don't think that that is applicable in this case. Most people don't need discouraging from killing children, especially their own. The people that do need discouraging aren't going to be all that affected by the idea of prison or death I think. The idea of killing your own children, even without those particular consequences attached to it, is a big step alone. Stopping people making that step in the first place would be my idea.