Nornagest comments on Why Don't People Help Others More? - Less Wrong

36 Post author: peter_hurford 13 August 2012 11:34PM

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Comment author: Raemon 16 August 2012 06:47:54PM *  1 point [-]

Random question (not expecting expert quality answers here, but curious)

If you have only minimal first aid training and no particular combat training, you are in a mostly deserted area, and you hear a gunshot somewhere nearby but out of sight, what do you think the rational altruistic response?

Edit: In this scenario, you either don't have a phone, there are no police in the area, or otherwise "easy way out" are not available. You can choose to whether and how to help by yourself, and that's it.

Comment author: Nornagest 16 August 2012 09:03:52PM *  3 points [-]

I don't think this is likely to come up as specified. In a rural area (of the United States, at least; other parts of the world might be different), isolated gunshots probably aren't indicative of danger to a human and can be safely ignored unless you have good reason not to. In an urban area, you're probably close to a payphone or another human with a phone, so even if you're not carrying a phone yourself that should probably be your priority.

That being said, in the situation you've given any benefits to the victim would be overwhelmed by danger to you. You don't know whether the assailant is still in the area, and you don't know the disposition of anyone involved. It'd probably be slightly safer if you waited a few minutes before investigating (a single shot means a brief incident, and a sane attacker probably wouldn't stick around long), but your scope for rendering aid is so limited that I still think I'd favor leaving the area and getting help if possible.