×
welcome covers

Your complimentary articles

You’ve read all of your complimentary articles for this month. To have complete access to the thousands of philosophy articles on this site, please


If you are a subscriber please sign in to your account.

To buy or renew a subscription please visit Subscriptions.

If you are a print subscriber you can contact us to create an online account.

Short Story

Why should I live when others die?

A short story in which Arthur Chappell sees his life flash before his eyes.

I am writing this, in the likelihood that I do not survive the next thirty minutes. I am unfortunate enough to be a passenger on a jet aircraft which is in danger of crashing into the Alps because of severe engine failure. The plane needs to climb to a higher altitude quickly or all hundred and fifty travellers are doomed. All luggage and the seats and anything not essential to the function and fabric of the aircraft have been jettisoned. The only thing left to do is for about five of the passengers to be sacrificed by having them jump willingly out of the plane, unless the other passengers throw them out.