Ethical dilemma

[TripleA]

A train is hurtling down a track towards five people. You are on a bridge under which it will pass, and you can stop it by putting something very heavy in front of it. As it happens, there is a man next to you

[fiddy]

Kill OP :rolleyes:

[TripleA]

Kill OP :rolleyes:

Damn that hurt.

[BasedTom]

tell me more about the people I'm choosing between
describe them

[TripleA]

tell me more about the people I'm choosing between
describe them
The man you push is fat.
The five people on the tracks are drug addicts

[BasedTom]

The man you push is fat.
The five people on the tracks are drug addicts
what about their political beliefs?

as it stands now i'm saving the addicts no question

[TripleA]

what about their political beliefs?

as it stands now i'm saving the addicts no question

Drug addicts are socialists.
Fat man libertarian.

[BasedTom]

Drug addicts are socialists.
Fat man libertarian.
hmmm, how about religion and race?

[TripleA]

hmmm, how about religion and race?

Fatman catholic
Drug addicts Agnostic
All from Honduras.

[NumberSix]

I'd yell "get the fcuk outta the way" at the five people.

[BasedTom]

Fatman catholic
Drug addicts Agnostic
All from Honduras.
send fatty to heaven then :D

assuming fat people are allowed into heaven, which i'm not entirely sure of

[GoatBoy]

Good ol' utilitarianism tells me to save the 5 people :D

[TomBrady]

Throw the fat man in a perfect spiral towards the five people on the tracks, knocking everyone off and saving all six people.

[Jasi]

I wouldn't push the man.
I'd try my best to save the other people in any way that doesn't involve killing someone.

[Jailblazers7]

so a fat guy is heavy enough to stop a ****ing train? :oldlol:

[CeltsGarlic]

Throw the fat man in a perfect spiral towards the five people on the tracks, knocking everyone off and killing all six people.

fixed

[Velocirap31]

so a fat guy is heavy enough to stop a ****ing train? :oldlol:

:lol He's Michael Sweetney fat.

Actually, if he's that fat, there is no way we'd able to move him.

[dunksby]

I'd pray to God to save them and get the **** out of there ASAP.

[CavaliersFTW]

I would not actively push a man to his death.

You should rephrase your question OP as I believe there is an interesting change with just a simple variable adjustment.

What if you are at a switch point for the tracks. If the train continues on its course it will hit the 5 people. However, if you pull a lever the train will divert to a set of tracks where there is only one person.

Under that scenario - I think many people might pull the lever. But something about physically having to push a man to his death seems wrong :lol

[Jasi]

I would not actively push a man to his death.

You should rephrase your question OP as I believe there is an interesting change with just a simple variable adjustment.

What if you are at a switch point for the tracks. If the train continues on its course it will hit the 5 people. However, if you pull a lever the train will divert to a set of tracks where there is only one person.

Under that scenario - I think many people might pull the lever. But something about physically having to push a man to his death seems wrong :lol

I think I wouldn't change my mind in this scenario.
You're still actively killing a man imo.

[Draz]

What kind of drugs? Weed is fine save them

[ROCSteady]

Are there women left of the five? Children?

How hot is the hottest chick of the remaining five? How smart is the smartest kid? Good manners?

Will the hottest chick put out after? Will the smartest child go on to do something in which I can manage?

edit: just saw, five addicts.

I'd back away and let God's will be done.

How long does the fat man have left without major lifestyle changes?

[CavaliersFTW]

I think I wouldn't change my mind in this scenario.
You're still actively killing a man imo.
Well wouldn't not pulling the lever mean you killed 5 people?

[Jasi]

Well wouldn't not pulling the lever mean you killed 5 people?
That's not "active" though.
Instinctively I perceive the "lack of action" as different.
You may describe this as "you're not changing the state of the world if you don't pull", something like that.
If you're not there, five men die.
That one instead would die only because of you doing something.

[CavaliersFTW]

That's not "active" though.
Instinctively I perceive the "lack of action" as different.
You may describe this as "you're not changing the state of the world if you don't pull", something like that.
If you're not there, five men die.
That one instead would die only because of you doing something.
Good point.

How about this, what if the 5 people the train is aimed at are children.

What if the one person the train could be diverted to is a 90 year old man.

[Jasi]

Good point.

How about this, what if the 5 people the train is aimed at are children.

What if the one person the train could be diverted to is a 90 year old man.

Or, even worse, what if MY wife and children are among the 5?

That certainly puts more emotional pressure on the choice, and I don't know how I would act.
Rationally, however, I would say that this doesn't affect the ethical aspects of the dilemma.
So, my istinct would tell me to kill the old man and save my family, but perhaps it would be the less ethical choice.

[Draz]

Given any circumstances where I could have saved more people, I would.

[oarabbus]

Given any circumstances where I could have saved more people, I would.

You have to execute 5 family members/friends in order to save 20 people.

Still would do it?

[Draz]

You have to execute 5 family members/friends in order to save 20 people.

Still would do it?
Fck :lol

[ace23]

Did you get this from that Harvard lecture/presentation or w/e?

[TripleA]

Did you get this from that Harvard lecture/presentation or w/e?

It was from my Ethics class.
I made up the other stipulations.

[NumberSix]

It was from Ethics class.
I made up the other stipulations.
The obvious answer is no. The person's life isn't yours to take. Even if you think it serves a "greater good".

[ace23]

Ethics class in HS. Knew it'd be a private school.

[TomBrady]

fixed

You clearly don't know the power of Brady.