The Lifeboat Reading Guide & Discussion Questions

Book Club Discussion Questions

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For supplemental discussion material see our Beyond the Book article, Castaway Literature and our BookBrowse Review of The Lifeboat.

Please be aware that this discussion guide will contain spoilers!

1. In disaster situations, is it right to save women and children first? What moral justifications exist for your answer?



2. Discuss the thought experiment referred to in Grace's trial, also known as "The Plank of Carneades." Is either the first or second swimmer to reach the plank justified in pushing the other swimmer away?



3. What do you think of the concept of necessity as a justification for behavior that would not be condoned in ordinary circumstances?

Unless otherwise stated, this discussion guide is reprinted with the permission of Back Bay Books. Any page references refer to a USA edition of the book, usually the trade paperback version, and may vary in other editions.