FYS 100

1. Survival 101 … Who Makes the Cut?
Scenario:
The Avian Flu has just wiped out the entire planet’s population, except for 13 people
who find themselves to be the only people left on the earth. They manage to all make it
to a safe bunker. In order to outlive the virus, they need to survive 2 years. Only 4 can
be accommodated by the bunker. Eight will have to be expelled because there are not
enough resources for all of them to survive.
If all stay, resources will sustain them for a maximum period of 6 months.
In the bunker, there are the following facilities:
 Sewage system
 Water
 Seeds
 Some clothes
 A few books
 Some medical facilities but no operating material
 A greenhouse
Explain who you think should live, and present your case to the rest of the group. Argue
for their life unless you want to sacrifice them for the others. Listen to the arguments
from the rest of your group as well, and challenge them to define their own positions.
a) Scientist
b) Priest
c) Married couple who are hippies and drug addicts
d) A single pregnant woman with a 5 year old girl
e) A army officer who has mental instability of some sort but is useful nonetheless
f) An elderly woman
g) A disabled person
h) Lawyer
i) Lazy welfare dependent
j) Doctor
k) University professor
It is possible to make connections and describe dependencies between select individual
domains. There may not be clear links between all domains, but with some deep and
creative (aka “critical!”) thinking, one can draw several connections.