The runaway trolley

[Illuminattile]

You may have heard this before, but that's not important.

A runaway trolley car is hurtling down a track. In its path are five people who will definitely be killed unless you, a bystander, flip a switch which will divert it on to another track, where it will kill one person.

Should you flip the switch? Yes? No? What about this one;

A runaway trolley car is hurtling down a track. In its path are five people who will definitely be killed unless you, a bystander, somehow stop it. The only way to stop it is to put something in its path, and the only thing large enough to stop it is an overweight gentleman standing nearby. He would certainly stop the runaway trolley, but he himself would die.

Should you push the fat man? What if it was someone in a wheelchair? Or an infant in a pram?

 

[Jokerman]

Should you push the fat man? What if it was someone in a wheelchair? Or an infant in a pram?

Yes, the fat man. No to the wheelchair or the infant in a pram, since neither would be large enough to stop the trolley.

Unless it was a fat man in a wheelchair and a fat fat baby. Really fat baby.

(i'm sure that wasn't ur point.)

 

[Duke]

Definitely push the fat guy

 

[Jokerman]

Different people will answer differently. In accordance with their collision of values.

 

[kman_69]

it depends, would flipping the switch be considered murder?

 

[spoons]

Let things take its course; ill be there to pick up the peices afterwards

 

[Valeoz]

I wouldn't do a damn thing, because I know someone will charge me for murder in the end. Its a stupid dilemma if I was to participate some how and have no harm come to me.

 

[Illuminattile]

it depends, would flipping the switch be considered murder?

Legally, I don't know. Would you do it either way?

Ethically, it depends on your views. You are actively causing someone's death, is that right? Or is it equally 'bad' to allow five people to die?

 

[Duke]

Legally, I don't know. Would you do it either way?

Ethically, it depends on your views. You are actively causing someone's death, is that right? Or is it equally 'bad' to allow five people to die?

It's only a fat guy

 

[Khaled]

you don't do anything. in both cases...

it's not up to you to make this choice. if you can save the people without hurting anyone else, than you do it. but you cannot sacrifice the fat guy and the unrelated bystander to save people who would have died had you done nothing...

 

[Kareem]

it depends, would flipping the switch be considered murder?

involentary manslaughter max 5 ta 10 out in 3 ta 4 with good behavior

 

[Valeoz]

^^
nuff said.

 

[Illuminattile]

I'm not convinced you'd be sent to jail for flipping the switch. For pushing the fat man, yes.

It's only a fat guy

Would it change your mind if the fat guy was Santa Claus?

 

[KAMIKAZI]

Would it change your mind if the fat guy was Santa Claus?

Actually that'd further convince me to hurl him on the tracks.

 

[not really ken]

Ofcourse you'd flip the switch. If any court in the land would punish you for that, then I would rather be in jail. Because the best place to be in within a society as unjust as that, would be jail!

 

[spoons]

Morals aside, if this were to happen outta the blue, most of us would simply kick into instinct. Morally tho, unless we recognize these people (appreance, knowance) we wouldnt press the button.