Q&A: Ethics and Probability
Originally published:
This is an English translation (via GPT-5.4). Read the original Hebrew version.
Ethics and Probability
Question
Someone offers you the chance to play Russian roulette with a child: if the bullet comes out of the gun (1/6), the child dies; if it does not come out (5/6), the child gets a gift that makes him very happy. Is it moral to play?
I assume not. But what is the difference between this case and the case where two people want to bring a child into the world, and there is some chance that the child will be sick and suffer greatly in his life?
Answer
There is not one-sixth of people who would prefer not to exist.
But morally there is no problem with not bringing a child into the world. There is only a halakhic obligation.