In Rottenberg's text we are faced with a difficult scenario. Task: A series of catastrophic environmental events has virtually wiped out human life on earth. The only known survivors in your neighborhood are the eleven listed... There are resources to support just seven. Choose seven... people to survive. List them in the order you would choose them. (220) If this scenario presented to me was something I had to face in reality, I would probably leave the group and try to find other resources. I would not want to participate in something that could lead to the destruction of another human being, even for the sake of the survival of other human beings. I believe that in life there is always a choice and I hope that I would make the moral choice. However, since this exercise is just an assigned task and does not affect a real person's life, I will do it as if there is no other option. Each person has value but I chose 7 to survive based on what they can bring to the existence of the other members of the group, to themselves and perhaps to other survivors besides them. might encounter later. The first person I chose to survive is Mr. Newton. I have limited information on Mr. Newton. Rottenberg states, Mr. Newton – twenty-five years old, black power advocate, entering final year of medical school, suspected homosexual activity, musical hobby, fitness enthusiast. (221) In order to be diplomatic, I will only focus my attention on the skills or qualities that each person can offer. What I notice immediately about Mr. Newton is that he is young, healthy, and has medical knowledge that, under the current circumstances, will be helpful to the group and possibly other survivors they could e...... middle of paper... ...Mary Evans – eighteen years old, black, Protestant, trade school graduate, wears glasses, artistic. (221) I chose Mary because she is young, she is probably fertile and her artistic abilities can contribute to the morale of others. If they are in a good mood, they are more likely to survive. These kinds of decisions should never be necessary. The choice is not moral. If a choice must be made and humanity and morality are not the ultimate goals, then the goal must be the survival of the majority and the survival of the future; but what kind of future will it be? Our value lies not only in our abilities but in our humanity. Let us never sacrifice the latter for the former; that would be a terrible reality. Works Cited Rottenberg, Annette T. and Donna Haisty. Winchel. The structure of the argument. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's, 2009. Print.