Is there a moral imperative to warn others when you perceive danger to the group?

[Fumesucker]

The title says it all, do we have a moral duty to our fellow citizens/human beings to speak up when we perceive a danger to the group as a whole?

[Jackpine Radical]

1. Yes.

Referring to anything in specific?

[Fumesucker]

4. I am indeed referring to something specific..

But since I was roundly attacked over the weekend for my opinion, I'm keeping it to myself for now.

It's not something that people on DU don't already know about anyway, it's more that my particular take on it rubs a lot of people the wrong way.

[LeftishBrit]

2. Yes.

What is this about? A danger to DU or America or the world at large?

[TexasObserver]

3. We are under a moral duty to do so.

No legal duty, however.

We should warn others, because that's what our simian cousins do to help protect their families and clans, and it's likely instinctual.

[Fumesucker]

7. If you see a danger and fail to speak out..

And that danger eventually strikes you personally, are you then morally justified in complaining of your fate?

[TexasObserver]

8. I suppose that depends on the facts and circumstances then existing.

The duty to speak is a moral imperative.

Assessment of blame is a whole nuther thing. Can't say without specifics.

[mike_c]

5. altruism is one of the hallmarks of sociality-- the moral bit is just window dressing....

Lots of other social species act altruistically in that respect, and lots of non-social species don't. Is one moral and the other not?

[Tandalayo_Scheisskopf]

6. A society without Altruism...

Is a society of sociopaths.

[CitizenPatriot]

9. warn resposnibly as they say

no screaming "fire!"

I have found myself in this position before and let me just say, people don't dig hearing bad news. I tried to warn people about Bush 8 years ago, and got dismissed or worse.

[Fumesucker]

12. Been there, done that..

Have the psychic scars.

[Clovis Sangrail]

10. tricky

what one person considers "a serious risk of danger" another might consider unlikely and not too terrible if it did occur.
on a small scale it's pretty easy because you know what the other person would consider a valid warning

[Fumesucker]

11. In the incident I'm referring to..

Practically everyone thinks the results are/were horrible.

And the likelihood of the danger is one hundred percent, it has happened in the past, is happening now and will happen again in the future.

[stray cat]

13. Just like signholders telling people to repent the end of the world is at hand

We have an obligation if we believe people are in danger but we may also be wrong or risk ridicule for our beliefs if they are perceived irrational

[Bonhomme Richard]

14. Even animals do that. n/t

[patrice]

15. Truth MUST be the highest priority, but no one persons owns it.

[otherlander]

16. Yeah.