[quote]You may as well say "As is assuming the right choice is automatically right."[/quote] No, [i]you[/i] assume rational = correct. You are wrong. Rationality conforms to one's beliefs. For instance, you're rationalizing your opinion as being 'correct' because the human might have people that would miss them. [quote]The person likely has a large web of people who care deeply about him and will suffer deeply from their death[/quote] You say this as though it's somehow relevant. The question is, 'would you save your pet, or a complete stranger?' Their family was never a factor. You threw it in yourself so you could [i]rationalize[/i] your belief that the human was more worthy of saving. If you were standing there, watching both drown, you wouldn't be thinking of that person's family, you'd be thinking of the beloved pet that's drowning right in front of you. The human mind does not stop to think about irrelevant details when [i]shit's happening [b]right now[/b][/i] and you need to deal with it. [quote]You're confusing sensible with selfish. It makes sense to save the one that will result in less pain and suffering overall.[/quote] You're confusing an emotional inquiry with a pragmatic one. It doesn't matter which one would be more 'rational' (to you) to save. Odds are you'd head for your pet first if you saw them drowning. That's how the human mind works. That's how it's [i]supposed[/i] to work. [quote]You're calling me out because, unlike you, I'm actually considering all the variables[/quote] Variables that were [i]never relevant and never factored into the initial question[/i]. The question was, 'who would you save?' OP never mentioned their family, or friends, or if they'd benefit society. It's merely your pet's life balanced against a human life. Just you, the pet, and the human. Anything else is a nonfactor. [quote]You do realize that if a similar situation were to actually arise, these are variables you would need to consider too?[/quote] I sure as hell wouldn't be able to stop and consider them when two living beings are drowning right in front of me. If I can only save one, I'll save the one that has more importance to me. It's unfortunate that the other guy dies, but there's nothing I can do about it by that point.