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Cogito ergo sum

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The Trolley Problem (Poll)

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  • The Trolley Problem (Poll)

    I thought it would be amusing to do a poll on the classic dilemma. I just copied and pasted from its Wiki entry for ease.

    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. What would you do?
    7
    Pull the lever.
    71.43%
    5
    Do not pull the lever.
    0%
    0
    Don't know and hope I never have to find out.
    28.57%
    2
    P1) If , then I win.

    P2)

    C) I win.

  • #2
    Is that one person also tied to the tracks and incapable of simply stepping of them and avoiding danger?

    I'm always still in trouble again

    "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
    "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
    "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

    Comment


    • #3
      Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
      Is that one person also tied to the tracks and incapable of simply stepping of them and avoiding danger?
      Yes. The assumption is that if you pull the lever, the one person will die.
      America - too good to let the conservatives drag it back to 1950.

      Comment


      • #4
        I would pull the leaver, but what if that one person was a loved one? I don't think I could do it.
        Atheism is the cult of death, the death of hope. The universe is doomed, you are doomed, the only thing that remains is to await your execution...

        https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jbnueb2OI4o&t=3s

        Comment


        • #5
          Originally posted by Electric Skeptic View Post
          Yes. The assumption is that if you pull the lever, the one person will die.
          I sorta kinda figured that but that stipulation is not stated in the OP which was copy pasta from wiki

          I'm always still in trouble again

          "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
          "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
          "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

          Comment


          • #6
            The show MIndfield actually tested the Trolley problem to see what people would do:


            Comment


            • #7
              Let's take it up a notch shall we?



              I'm always still in trouble again

              "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
              "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
              "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

              Comment


              • #8
                Rip off the handle and put it on the track to derail the trolley. That's the option that has at least a small chance of 100% survival.
                That's what
                - She

                Without a clear-cut definition of sin, morality becomes a mere argument over the best way to train animals
                - Manya the Holy Szin (The Quintara Marathon)

                I may not be as old as dirt, but me and dirt are starting to have an awful lot in common
                - Stephen R. Donaldson

                Comment


                • #9
                  Shoot the person at the other handle, then pull your handle.

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                    Shoot the person at the other handle, then pull your handle.
                    Ah, the roguetech solution.

                    I'm always still in trouble again

                    "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                    "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                    "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                    Comment


                    • #11
                      Originally posted by rogue06 View Post
                      Ah, the roguetech solution.
                      arr it be the pirate way.

                      Comment


                      • #12
                        Originally posted by Sparko View Post
                        The show MIndfield actually tested the Trolley problem to see what people would do:

                        Got to love Vsauce. I wonder how much ethical review he actually went through for the project.
                        P1) If , then I win.

                        P2)

                        C) I win.

                        Comment


                        • #13
                          This sounds similar to the lifeboat situation. But here is the question I would pose by what standard or why should I choose to save either of them?

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by ReformedApologist View Post
                            This sounds similar to the lifeboat situation. But here is the question I would pose by what standard or why should I choose to save either of them?
                            There are 5 people on one track and 1 person on the other. You could choose to save the most number of lives.

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              Originally posted by Sparko View Post

                              There are 5 people on one track and 1 person on the other. You could choose to save the most number of lives.
                              That's employing the method of ethical reasoning known as utilitarianism. Probably the most famous example can be seen in the Star Trek movie Wrath of Khan where Spock twice states that "the needs of the many outweigh the needs of the few" (and both times Kirk adds "or the one") which is turned on its head in the next film The Search for Spock

                              I'm always still in trouble again

                              "You're by far the worst poster on TWeb" and "TWeb's biggest liar" --starlight (the guy who says Stalin was a right-winger)
                              "Overall I would rate the withdrawal from Afghanistan as by far the best thing Biden's done" --Starlight
                              "Of course, human life begins at fertilization that’s not the argument." --Tassman

                              Comment

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