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The Trolley Problem Thought Experiment
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:29 pm
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:29 pm
You see a runaway trolley moving toward five tied-up (or otherwise incapacitated) people lying on the tracks. You are standing next to a lever that controls a switch. If you pull the lever, the trolley will be redirected onto a side track, and the five people on the main track will be saved. However, there is a single person lying on the side track. You have two options:
1. Do nothing and allow the trolley to kill the five people on the main track.
Or
2. Pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the side track where it will kill one person.
Which option is more ethical?
Alternate version:
There are 1000 people on the 1st track and the one person is someone you personally know and love.
1. Do nothing and allow the trolley to kill the five people on the main track.
Or
2. Pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the side track where it will kill one person.
Which option is more ethical?
Alternate version:
There are 1000 people on the 1st track and the one person is someone you personally know and love.
This post was edited on 5/11/19 at 11:31 pm
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:31 pm to Scruffy
Runaway train never coming back.
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:31 pm to Scruffy
Depends on one’s chosen school of ethics.
But you knew that already, you rapscallion.
But you knew that already, you rapscallion.
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:32 pm to Scruffy
quote:Both situations: Take out cellphone and video vertically while yelling "Whorl Stah".
1. Do nothing and allow the trolley to kill the five people on the main track.
Or
2. Pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the side track where it will kill one person.
Which option is more ethical?
Alternate version:
There are 1000 people on the 1st track and the one person is someone you personally know and love.
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:32 pm to Scruffy
Neither choice is more ethical than the other.
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:32 pm to Scruffy
Id kill millions of people to protect the few people I love. Maybe even billions
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:33 pm to Joshjrn
quote:
Depends on one’s chosen school of ethics.
But you knew that already, you rapscallion.

But that is no fun.
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:34 pm to AMS
quote:How?
Neither choice is more ethical than the other.
You have the chance to save 5x more humans with one pathway.
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:34 pm to Scruffy
quote:
The Trolley Problem Thought Experiment
Youtube Mike Sandel - Harvard Lecture Series...The Moral Side of Murder.

Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:36 pm to Scruffy
quote:
1. Pull out my phone and record in portrait mode and upload it to worldstar and allow the trolley to kill the five people on the main track.
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:38 pm to Scruffy
quote:
You have the chance to save 5x more humans with one pathway.
Watch the Sandel lecture mentioned above...you will enjoy.

Mike Sandel Harvard - Entertaining Philosophy Lecture
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:41 pm to Scruffy
quote:
You have the chance to save 5x more humans with one pathway.
Scruffy plays a moral utilitarianist on TV.
This post was edited on 5/11/19 at 11:42 pm
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:42 pm to Scruffy
Channel my inner Chuck Norris, vault into the cab and pull the emergency brake. Think outside the box.
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:43 pm to Scruffy
In the first scenario, While I'd be fricked in the head either way, I think taking an actual action (by pulling the lever) would frick more with my head than not doing anything.
In the second scenario, 1000 is just too many. I'd switch the flip
In the second scenario, 1000 is just too many. I'd switch the flip
This post was edited on 5/11/19 at 11:43 pm
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:43 pm to Scruffy
Which track is the puppy on?
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:43 pm to Scruffy
If the five people are diverse you have to save them. The lone person can’t be diverse because there’s just one. Diversity makes us great.
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:44 pm to Scruffy
quote:
You have the chance to save 5x more humans with one pathway.
What if the 5 people are convicted murderers?
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:46 pm to lsunurse
What if they are all convicted murderers?
This post was edited on 5/11/19 at 11:46 pm
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:46 pm to Scruffy
Luckily I live in New Orleans where a trolley is a streetcar and the grade is low enough that the car will stop before it reaches the obstructions.
Posted on 5/11/19 at 11:46 pm to Scruffy
What if it’s 5 Ole Miss players and 1 LSU player
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