Here’s a classic:
1. A runaway train is going to hit five men who are working on the tracks. The workers cannot hear the train, and they are facing away from it. You are too far away to warn them before the train hits. You are, however, standing next to a lever. If you pull the lever, the train will switch to a second track where only one man is working. If you don’t pull the lever, five men will be killed; if you do, only one man will be killed. Do you pull the lever?
2. Again, the runaway train is heading for the five workers, but this time there’s no lever. You’re standing above the tracks on an overpass, and there’s someone next to you. If you push that person off the overpass and onto the tracks, the train will hit him and stop before it reaches the five workers. Do you push the man off the overpass?
Feedback question: Should I post interpretations of different answers? For example, “Most people in this case would say ___, although ___” and so on?
1 Comment
April 28, 2008 at 4:39 am
Ethics, morals, and so on are all constructions of the cultures we live in. The truth is, there is no “right” answer, because there are no ethics.
1. Do nothing.
2. Do nothing. And really, I doubt that the body would stop the train; it’d probably still hit them.
I say let the train go as it will. It’s not my fault idiots are standing on the tracks. If they can’t hear the train coming and feel the tracks vibrating, it’s really not my problem.