Could You Kill a Stranger to Save Yourself or Loved One?

How many of you have seen the horror/thriller movie "Saw" and/or its sequels? If so, you probably know where this article and experiment are going and what spawned this morbid pondering. If you have not seen it, have no fear for it's unnecessary. I'll refresh your memory or explain it to you for the first time.

This idea was spawned after watching "Saw" and an 80s "Twilight Zone" episode. First, in the opening scenes of the "Saw" films, a person awakens to a dark, gritty room, seemingly alone. But, after the person looks around a bit, they see that they are not alone. They see another unconscious person lying on a table. After the person's stupor wears off, they feel a heavy metal contraption locked around their head and jaw. Suddenly, a voice comes from a speaker or tape recorder. The voice proceeds to tell the person that the device on their head is set on a twenty minute timer. When the timer reaches zero it will trigger the device to snap open and rip their jaw apart from their head and, most likely, kill them. There is a key but it has been placed and sewn inside the unconscious stranger beside you. In order to save themself, the person needs to reach inside the stranger's chest and get the key and unlock the "bear trap" on their head. To aid them in the fatal surgery, a scalpel has been generously given to them.

This got me to thinking the obvious question which is what would I do if I were placed in that situation? Would I have the nerve to "kill" a stranger for my own self-survival? I believe I would.

This scenario has endless variations. One big variation is what if you ere in the room with the unconscious stranger and the person with the device on their head is a friend, relative (mother, father, aunt, uncle, nephew, cousin son, daughter, etc) or loved one (wife, husband, boyfriend, girlfriend). For one reason or another (either the person you kno s unconscious, chained down or can't stomache it), they aren't able to rip the stranger's chest open and kill them to get the key. It's up to you to perform the task. Could you do it? To save a friend or loved one? I'd seriously consider it but it'd depend on several actors.