What would you do?

[DrippinglyWet]

There is a runaway trolley barreling down the railway tracks. Ahead, on the tracks, there are five people tied up and unable to move. The trolley is headed straight for them. You are standing some distance off in the train yard, next to a lever. If you pull this lever, the trolley will switch to a different set of tracks. However, you notice that there is one person on the side track. You have two options:

1. Do nothing, and the trolley kills the five people on the main track.
2. Pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the side track where it will kill one person.

Post your answer and why choose it.
There will be a follow up question.

 

[black]

Not interfere

 

[cantspeak]

its not my responsibility

let nature takes it course and kill the 5 people tied to the tracks, because it turns from a tragic accident to me murdering a person

 

[DrippinglyWet]

Not interfere

Reason for not interferring?

 

[I've spoken]

2- pull the lever

 

[Human]

OMG I GOT TAUGHT THIS IN MY ETHICS CLASS

1- When I am in a situation like that, I think about my own feelings and what I should do. If I picked the second one then I would be hinting about how I killed that one person without even congratulating myself for saving the other people. But, if I pick the first option, I would guilt think about it and how I did not do anything so that is why those people died.

To be honest, in real life, I would want the train to kill me so those people can be saved. But, to answer your question, I would pick option one as I would guilt trick myself that I did not save those people as I did nothing instead of me picking option 2 and a person still died when I still did nothing.

If I do something, I want everyone to be saved not one less person it not be saved.

 

[cantspeak]

OMG I GOT TAUGHT THIS IN MY ETHICS CLASS

1- When I am in a situation like that, I think about my own feelings and what I should do. If I picked the second one then I would be hinting about how I killed that one person without even congratulating myself for saving the other people. But, if I pick the first option, I would guilt think about it and how I did not do anything so that is why those people died.

To be honest, in real life, I would want the train to kill me so those people can be saved. But, to answer your question, I would pick option one as I would guilt trick myself that I did not save those people as I did nothing instead of me picking option 2 and a person still died when I still did nothing.

If I do something, I want everyone to be saved not one less person it not be saved.

Filthy utilitarianist

 

[anonymous34]

To be honest, in real life, I would want the train to kill me so those people can be saved..

 

[Human]

Filthy utilitarianist

I got taught Utilitarianism. Should I teach you the different forms of Utilitarianism?

 

[DrippinglyWet]

The situation is reversed but instead of that one person being a stranger its your brother/sister that lies on the main track and five people that lie on the side track
Would you still not interfer and let nature take its course ? @black @cantspeak
Would you still save the many instead of the few? @I've spoken @Human

 

[cantspeak]

I got taught Utilitarianism. Should I teach you the different forms of Utilitarianism?

Nein

but are you doing a philo degree??

 

[Bahal]

I would sacrifice 10,000 to save 1,000,000.

What kind of a question is this?

 

[cantspeak]

The situation is reversed but instead of that one person being a stranger its your brother/sister that lies on the main track and five people that lie on the side track
Would you still not interfer and let nature take its course ? @black @cantspeak
Would you still save the many instead of the few? @I've spoken @Human

I would act and pull the lever even if it means being held accountable for those 5 people dying simply because it would be give me greater benefit to save that loved one person over those 5 strangers. Its a completely rational decision, selfish yes but rational

 

[black]

The situation is reversed but instead of that one person being a stranger its your brother/sister that lies on the main track and give people on the side track
Would you still not interfer and let nature take its course ? @black @cantspeak
Would you still save the many instead of the few? @I've spoken @Human

I wouldn't interfere because my actions did not lead to said scenario. I would let things run their course. In the new scenario I would most certainly interfere and pull the lever.

 

[DrippinglyWet]

I would sacrifice 10,000 to save 1,000,000.

What kind of a question is this?

Would you sacrifice your family; mom dad brother sister niece son etc to save 1000?

 

[Human]

The situation is reversed but instead of that one person being a stranger its your brother/sister that lies on the main track and five people that lie on the side track
Would you still not interfer and let nature take its course ? @black @cantspeak
Would you still save the many instead of the few? @I've spoken @Human

I would save my sibling over those five people as I have a personal relationship with my sibling as opposed with the stranger I would only see once in my life.

Even though I would feel guilty, the situation makes it difficult for me to oppose the two different ends of the choices I can pick. If the situation was different, my answer would probably change.

But, OP what would you do?

 

[Human]

Nein

but are you doing a philo degree??

It's very interesting. Your loss, mate.

Na, I'm doing it for A-Levels and I'm hoping to do it for Uni, inshallah.

 

[cantspeak]

It's very interesting. Your loss, mate.

Na, I'm doing it for A-Levels and I'm hoping to do it for Uni, inshallah.

paying 30k to do a philosophy degree when you can jst do it at home.




I wish I did that for A levels though instead of geography

 

[ItzDoctorZ]

Ignore it


I aint going to jail for murder

 

[DrippinglyWet]

I would save my sibling over those five people as I have a personal relationship with my sibling as opposed with the stranger I would only see once in my life.

Even though I would feel guilty, the situation makes it difficult for me to oppose the two different ends of the choices I can pick. If the situation was different, my answer would probably change.

But, OP what would you do?

Probaly the same as @cantspeak @black first scenario i wouldnt do anything as its none of my bussiness they must have done something wrong to end up tied on a railway track, second obviously my brother.

Just curious how morally minded the posters on here are.