MBSS Philosophy Cyber-Café

I don't understand why bureaucratic formulaic 'merit' awards are held in such esteem by families. The knowledge of his bravery should be enough for them (not that it would make losing a loved one any better). Maybe they should look elsewhere for ethical practice. The armed forces aren't exactly celebrated for it, even in Canada.

Not that any of this has to do with the actual question.

What then is bravery? What would merit this cross? Courage, and action in the heat of battle is not and never been dictated by logic. Courage is best shown in moments when logic has no time to take hold.

Your own life is the most valuable thing you have. Ayn Rand said that any system which demands the induviduals life for the group is the most despicable evil imaginable. It is an act of immeasurable bravery, selflessness, and love which allows a man acting in the heat of the moment to sacrifice everything he has.

There is no greater act of bravery than that performed by one Private Kennedy on behalf of his unit. He has not only demonstrated his courage, but also his virtue and his love for his comrades in arms. If this not above and beyond the call of duty then nothing is, for in the words of Christ: "Greater love hath no man than this that he lays down his life for his friends."

I think the focus shouldnt be on the fact that he was going to die anyways but on the idea that a dozen or so other people who would have died did not. It couldnt be said that he sacrificed his life because he was going to die anyways but his very last action was one that could be adapted by all three philosophers. His actions did the greatest good for the greatest number of people, Saving his many comrades lives would with out a doubt be conisdered honourable, and lasty it could be said that anyone would do the same knowing they would die eitherway because it is morally and ethically right. It doesnt matter that he was going to die anyways, Kenny's family could appeal on the grounds that he saved the lives of dozens of people, even if it wasnt techincally because he sacrificed himself. Either way those people are alive because of him.

This is another one of those political things that if I was to involve myself in it I would bash some heads in. This is very desrespectful to Private Kenny and his family. I agree with Tim in saying that the medal won't really do much for the family, but I would see it as a sign of respect for Kenny's sacrifice. I would like to quote Mill and state that Kenny's sacrifrice was "The greatest good for the greatest number."

His honorable deed was a act of bravery and bravery should be rewarded regardless of what the statement read... more later

I think there are several reasons this action is heroic. First of all, even if he was going to die anyways, he chose to die in a way that saved his comrades lives. It's the fact that he didn't just choose to die, but chose to die with a purpose which is heroic.

I think that every person secretly believes they won't die, they'll be the one to survive, so to throw yourself willingly towards death is admitting that you will die, that you aren't the exception to the rule, and that you aren't invincible. Even with death so close, it's a brave and good thing to do.

I also believe that people still have a duty to themselves, and to give your own life should never be required by your government or your country. It should always be your choice. It's one of the reasons I'm so against inscription. So to devalue that sacrifice in the name of duty is ridiculous.

There are no solid grounds to act on. But the family could apeal to the board in the military and hope that their heart strings would be pulled on. They could say that Kenny was the only one to act in such bravery and if it is the duty of every soldier to act in the best intrest of others, the rest of the brigade didn't act in other's best intrest. Would these soldiers get dispatched and kicked off the army? I don't think so. Kenny acted for the greatest number of people, he should be rewarded for his actions. Other soldiers in the past had been rewarded for the exact same action. Kenny should be too. The victoria Cross might be out of the question, for it is the highest honour that can be recieved, but some other medal should be given. Something on the lines of the purple heart, for saving others, would be appropreate.

First of all it sure is a more than impossible way to combine dry economical and logical sense with a heavy emotional feeling!
A medal also is nothing else as a statement of Authority and in war, those acts are happening all the time, but only a few get mentioned anyway! The Family wants this about anzthing else! I thought that a statement of recognition never would overcome a memory of a person and his love, but that just shows me how deep down our society lives in and degenerates itself all the time... Yes I am calling to both sides although I right now cant even think clearly

\m/

Even if they can't appeal the medal should have been presented to the man's family. Even if he would have died in the blast of the granade he saved his unit from dieing with him fby smothering it. He thought of his unit first and not him self, he could have run, he could have done nothing and let his unit die with him... He chose to save the greater number of people, even if he had died he most likely did so with a feeling of great acomplishment.

Private Kenny deserves the Victoria Cross. I do agree that this is an awfull time for his family, but, it dosn;t help that the Cross was denied to Kenny when he ,very much so, went beyond the call of duty by saveing his unit.

GIVE KENNY THE BLOODY CROSS!!

I can see why the family would want that kind of closure but really the medals not that important its really the meaning and recignition of acts by the government and people. Also I think the people saying he doesnt deserve it are also in the wrong with how they acted and there extreme poor choice of words. the family should not care about the metal because they and the other men involved know what he did and why the metal has no meaning if others arnt there to tell the story Im sure that those people will never forget him or his act saving their lives ands really thats all the metals do is make it harder for people to forget others actions.

They can appeal on the grounds of the statement of the regiment, "All military personnel are required to act in the interest of the whole unit at all times." If Private Kenny had not smothered the grenade, it would be a dozen or more families who grieved the loss of their sons and daughters. In this case, it is only one family who suffers. According to John Stuart Mill, it would be considered unethical for Private Kenny to have let the grenade explode without smothering it, because he was creating the greatest happiness (or at least, the least unhappiness) for the most number of people. Immanuel Kant would say that his intentions were to keep the unit as in tact as possible, and to spare as many lives as possible. No, he did not perform an act of self-sacrifice, as he would have died anyway, but he did spare several lives that would have been lost had he not thrown himself into the attack. According to the regiment's statement, Private Kenny did just the thing to deserve the Victoria Cross.

~Sorcha

No matter what happens, if you are a solider and die in any form of combat, weither it be defending the whole squad, or falling and getting trampled, at some point, the men and women who join the army and go overseas put their life on the line. They leave everything to go defend their country and should be awarded a Victoria Cross for bravery if they pass away. They ultimatly are doing it for the greater good of their country, family, and even the country they are fighting in, and should be commemorated in some form..

I hardly see the point. It's a heck of a lot of hoopla. Who care's about this medal? Your son just died in war, what is teh medal going to do?