definitely not an "anti" and i appreciate all the responses. lots of good info here.

it'd be complex to explain the context of the moment in the story but essentially, I'm trying to have a scene of dialogue in which the trolley problem is in practice.

in terms of hunting-- this is the equivalent i could come up with.

anyway, ill let y'all read the story when its done! i may have more questions in the future.

i had to make a new account because I'm not hunter familiar-- and i didn't know where to begin with my research.

best,
j

this is great!

"I'm trying to have a scene of dialogue in which the trolley problem is in practice."

May I ask what in the heck is "the trolley problem" you refer to?

trolley problem is a philosophical hypothetical: there is a trolley headed down a track-- ahead of it there are five people tied to the track-- you are the only person who can pull a lever to steer it down another track-- BUT down the alternate track there is a baby. who do you save? the five men, or the baby? do you pull the lever at all? etc.

since everyone is so skeptical (i honestly had no idea about this yellowstone bear incident) in my story the character is based on narcissus (in greek mythology he's a hunter) i know nothing of hunting. i need to incorporate stories from his past hunting experiences. i want to have dilemmas that show him as resourceful, as well as compassionate. yes he hunts, but he's not brutal. if you had accidentally killed a sow, and there were cubs-- i want to show what someone would really do rather than guess. and to get that answer i thought id ask the experts seeing as I've never hunted. the core of the story is about his obsession with himself-- the hunting is a character trait but its not the real plot.

ya dig y'all?

So would it be totally outlandish for him to collect the cubs and bring them to a sanctuary or something?

as that may sound ridiculous to you, I'm actually curious if it sounds reasonable.

Yes! Assuming something like this happened, the hunter does not have the authority not the expertise for dealing with orphaned bear cubs. You know they bite don't you? Getting caught with a couple of live bear cubs would get you a real quick trip to jail. Any "sanctuary" a hunter would try to take them to is licensed by the respective state and there is no way they would risk that license and take those cubs! First thing they would do is call the authorities!

The only legal way to handle it is to contact the game dept and let them take charge. Anything else is pure folly.

Okay, I'll go along with this after your response. No, as flags just mentioned, if a mistake is made the hunter should immediately notify the authorities and then they make the decision as to whether the cubs should be captured for their own good or allowed to stay in the wild and make it on their own.

As a hunter with a degree in philosophy, I am eager to read your work.

contacting the authorities isn't very cinematic. ha. but if thats the reality-- then that works for me.

I appreciate the responses and clarification on what exactly you are trying to get. Ovid never really dug that deep into Narcissus' past or hunts, but in all texts that I have ever read in Greek/Roman (Ovid was Roman) mythology he was primarily emphasized for his ego of himself, hence his stories turn with the pool and his reflection, lured by Nemesis. As a hunter or for a story I would think that his pursuit would always be for animals considered regal in form, and his ego would consistently compare is own self to that of the animal but him always being the better between the two. Translating him to the "trolley" as you explained would be rather difficult as part of his narcissism would be a lack of compassion for others.