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The Trolley Problem

A trolley is running out of control down a track. In its path are 5 people who have been tied to the track by a mad philosopher. Fortunately, you can flip a switch which will lead the trolley down a different track to safety. Unfortunately, there is a single person tied to that track. Should you flip the switch?
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I wonder... if the trolley runs over the first person, will that stop it? Or will it continue to mow down the other 4? If the first person would stop it, then you are exchanging one life for another - an even trade... or playing God, if you will. In that case - I wouldn't flip it.

If it is kill 1 or kill 5 and I can save 4 lives, heck yeah! Now... if the 1 person is a friend or loved one and the 5 people are strangers... then what?
quote:
Originally posted by Sassy Kims:
Then, kill the philosopher...


Hah!
Okay, most of us would throw the switch, it seems. How about this twist?

As before, the trolley is hurtling down the track towards five people. You are on a bridge under which it will pass, and you can stop it by dropping a heavy weight in front of it. As it happens, there is a very fat man next to you - your only way to stop the trolley is to push him over the bridge and onto the track, killing him to save five. Should you proceed?
quote:
Originally posted by GoFish:
quote:
Originally posted by Sassy Kims:
Then, kill the philosopher...


Hah!
Okay, most of us would throw the switch, it seems. How about this twist?

As before, the trolley is hurtling down the track towards five people. You are on a bridge under which it will pass, and you can stop it by dropping a heavy weight in front of it. As it happens, there is a very fat man next to you - your only way to stop the trolley is to push him over the bridge and onto the track, killing him to save five. Should you proceed?


No.

This twist requires a conscious decision and action for me to kill somebody to that otherwise would not have died or even been in danger to avert a situation that someone else put in motion to take the lives of five.

The beginning scenario gave me a choice of "saving one", or "saving five". This one gives me a choice on me of "killing one to save five", or not preventing five from dying.

Quite a difference, even though some will argue that the outcome is the same.

Some of these are beginning to sound like the movie series "Saw".

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