(Original post by somethingbeautiful)
Nevertheless, is walking past a dying person in order to reach the top of a mountain for some personal target ever a forgivable thing to do?

BUT, is walking past a dying person on the way down less morally abhorrent than walking past a dying person on the way up?

Thoughts?

Is passing a dying person on the way down rather than on the way up, less morally unsavory? Or is either unforgivable?
I'm not sure how to respond to the question as I find the premise itself troubling.

I think mountain climbs such as this are indulgent for the most part to be honest.

As for whether it's immoral to pass a dying person, I think it is only if your survival is not threatened by helping or the person's life could be saved. I suppose then that yes, it is morally unsavoury as you put it to pass someone who could be helped on the way up. To value a human life below the achievement of some physical goal is horrifying to me.

However, I think it's important to note that as a non-climber, I have no first-hand experience of this. I assume it is difficult to figure if a person could survive injuries on a climb and also whether a rescue could be successful.

Nonetheless, a person who passes a dying other with little thought is not a person.