The Doomsday Machine in Dr. Strangelove

[Ernest Partridge]

10. The Coke Machine incident: I. Kant vs. J. S. Mill

When I taught ethics at the University, I used the coke machine scene to illustrate deontology (Kant) vs. utilitarianism (Mill).

Remember? Lt. Mandrake had the code that would call off the attack and save the world, but no small change to call the Pentagon. So he demanded that Col. Bat Guano (love those names!) shoot open the coke machine to get the coins.

Col. Guano: "I can't do that. That's private property!"

Brilliant!