Thoughts on this scene from Mister Miracle?

This is from Tom King's Mister Miracle. It includes minor spoilers for the plot of the book but not for the outcome. Basically, Scott Free (Mister Miracle) is talking with a store clerk about a tough decision he has to make. Should he sacrifice an innocent child to end the ongoing war between New Genesis and Apokolips? He doesn't tell the clerk everything, just the basic question about sacrificing one kid to prevent the countless deaths the war will still bring. Here's the clerk's response:




I want to put these on my Tumblr (primepanels.tumblr.com), but I'm not sure what I want to say about it. In one respect, I see a little bit of "love thy neighbor" in it. On the other hand, the focus on happiness seems worldly. I'd like to know if anyone else has thoughts that might point out something I'm missing.

I’m sure you are familiar with the ethical train wreck - a train wreck will kill five people but if you throw a switch it will only kill one. It’s a question without a satisfying answer. I’m unclear what the writer is attempting to convey here. Scott Free, after all, was the child traded away for the peace of his world. Is he seeking to justify or understand Highfather’s actions? The question is not solely intellectual either, it is confronted daily by medical workers, military, and law enforcement. “Do we sacrifice one to save many?” I would suggest that the focus on temporal happiness is not necessarily misplaced, as as this is both our temporal responsibility as readers and in the story it can serve as a metaphor.

If the question he is asking is because he is currently facing the choice to kill a child in service to a greater good, I would argue (as William Lane Craig does much more clearly and, uh...betterly) that we as humans are just not in a position to know how to bring about "maximal happiness" to the world. The clerks stumbling, vague and messy response, though maybe intended to portray him as humble and endearing, only highlights to me the reality of our all-too limited position to determine maximal happiness. Both what it truly is and what will bring it about.

Paeter wrote:If the question he is asking is because he is currently facing the choice to kill a child in service to a greater good…

It is. He is.

So I'd kind of like to know the series you're reading ...

Also, let's not miss the reference to happiness as the "Life Equation", clearly antithesis to the "Anti-Life Equation."

And let's also not miss the fact that it doesn't make much sense as a "metaphysical equation." Happiness is not something you quantify and measure. It's not zero-sum. And even if it were, does that make it morally right? Where does Scott get his moral standard? It would be Highfather, who did nearly exactly the deed Scott appears to be pondering. That's a bit disturbing.