This question is with regards to the limits of Pikuach Nefesh in a life or death scenario.
Jewish law states that we have the ability to break the rules during situations where lives are in the balance. Eating unclean food to survive starvation is an example of this.
My question is do the rules still apply even when they don't apply?
The example I give is this:
A Jew is stranded in a situation where they have no food. There happens to be a living pig in the area and the Jew comes to the conclusion they'll have to kill and eat the pig to survive.
The pig is unclean by its nature so we already know the problem. That being said, would the Jew be benefitting the situation, even slightly, by attempting to ritually slaughter the pig?
At face value, this comes off as a straightforward situation. Shechita is done to ensure the meat is ritually pure for consumption. Because the pig is inherently impure, it is likely a worthless pursuit.
That being said, if the animal is killed using this method, even if the animal is inherently unclean, would the Jew be considered pious because even in a situation where they are breaking the rules to survive, they are doing so within the limits of the situation and not using it as an excuse to violate everything.
Essentially, the act of slaughtering the forbidden animal is being done as a means of living within the rules while still being forced to break the rules. An act of solidarity while acting in violation for survival.