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By *etLike OP Man
over a year ago
most fundamental aspects |
Some other threads have made me wonder what people’s (possessive plural) choices would be if faced with a philosophical choice of life or death. It’s called “the trolley problem” and goes like this:
There is an out of control train heading towards five people and it is certain death for all of them. But.....
You are standing by a set of points and can see one person standing on a different track. You can pull the lever to save the five but you will have made a conscious decision for the one person’s fate.
What do you do? Step back and allow things to take their course, or intervene?
No you’re not allowed to shout a warning or anything other than the two options above.
Pull the lever? Step back? |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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I'd probably throw myself in front of it and try to save them all, even though I know it ain't an option but at least then I'd go out quickly and at least stand SOME chance of saving them, and wouldn't have survivors guilt or any other guilt consuming me for the rest of my life.
P |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I'd probably throw myself in front of it and try to save them all, even though I know it ain't an option but at least then I'd go out quickly and at least stand SOME chance of saving them, and wouldn't have survivors guilt or any other guilt consuming me for the rest of my life.
P"
You're 2 foot tall, the train wouldn't even notice you  |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I'd probably throw myself in front of it and try to save them all, even though I know it ain't an option but at least then I'd go out quickly and at least stand SOME chance of saving them, and wouldn't have survivors guilt or any other guilt consuming me for the rest of my life.
P
You're 2 foot tall, the train wouldn't even notice you "
True, it would think it hit a large rodent.
P |
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"I'd probably throw myself in front of it and try to save them all, even though I know it ain't an option but at least then I'd go out quickly and at least stand SOME chance of saving them, and wouldn't have survivors guilt or any other guilt consuming me for the rest of my life.
P"
well no, you wouldn't as that's not the trolley problem.
It's about whether doing nothing is a choice or not. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Id leave as is how do we know switching tracks is not going to cause a head on with an other train and kill everyone on both. 5 people is better than me actually me killing one person with chance ok killing 000's |
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"Id leave as is how do we know switching tracks is not going to cause a head on with an other train and kill everyone on both. 5 people is better than me actually me killing one person with chance ok killing 000's"
there is no chance of thousands, that's not relevant. you passively allow 5 to die, or actively 1. nothing else exists. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"I'd probably throw myself in front of it and try to save them all, even though I know it ain't an option but at least then I'd go out quickly and at least stand SOME chance of saving them, and wouldn't have survivors guilt or any other guilt consuming me for the rest of my life.
P
well no, you wouldn't as that's not the trolley problem.
It's about whether doing nothing is a choice or not."
Doing nothing is a choice as is doing something. I know my answer isn't one of the given ones, but doing either of the others would more than likely drive me to the nut house anyway so I may as well change what I can on my terms, and if it didn't alter the outcome and just added another body count then so be it.
It's too difficult a choice to make otherwise
P |
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By *etLike OP Man
over a year ago
most fundamental aspects |
Right for those of you who were about to pull the lever, just as you reached for the lever you recognised the single person and turns out it’s your best friend. Still pulling it? |
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"Right for those of you who were about to pull the lever, just as you reached for the lever you recognised the single person and turns out it’s your best friend. Still pulling it?"
In a hypothetical situation, yes. In a real situation, no. |
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By *etLike OP Man
over a year ago
most fundamental aspects |
"Is this from 'the Good place'?
I literally have no idea about what I'd do....maybe jump off and kill myself so I didn't have to make a decision  "
I think The Good Place did feature something like it but it’s been a part of philosophical debate in some form or another since at least the Greeks
And no, throwing yourself is not allowed. |
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