would you ...

pro_chatter_smash: batter to death a baby seal with a blunt instrument to save a family of starving polar bears?

SWlNE: A baby seal isn't enough to feed a family of starving polar bears.
Unless you meant 'save' in another sense, where the baby seal wouldn't be used to 'feed' the polar bears but it was an actual threat. A violent baby seal threatening the lives of a family of starving polar bears and I'm the only one who can rescue them, armed only with a blunt instrument. Then yes, I might just hit that aggressive little bugger on the head. ...but why will I batter him to death instead of knocking him out cold? I can't explain that bit...unless I'm a Canadian with pent up anger...what a difficult, thought provoking, intense question, I'll pass on it.