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Home / Morality and the trolley problem
Remember that the socialist/collectivist mantra is that the NEEDS of the many outweigh the RIGHTS of the few? As I think we've established that socialists/collectivists have no problem with stealing, let's see how everyone does with the 'trolley problem'...
The trolley problem sets forth a typical moral dilemma: is it permissible to harm one or more individuals in order to save others? There are a number of different versions, but let's only look at two - the bystander version and the footbridge version.
Here are the circumstances - There is a trolley and its conductor has fainted. The trolley is headed toward five people walking on the track. The banks of the track are so steep that they will not be able to get off the track in time.
BYSTANDER VERSION - Hank is standing next to a switch, which he can throw, that will turn the trolley onto a parallel side track, thereby preventing it from killing the five people. However, there is a man standing on the side track with his back turned. Hank can throw the switch, killing him; or he can refrain from doing this, letting the five die.
Is it morally permissible for Hank to throw the switch?
FOOTBRIDGE VERSION - Ian is on the footbridge over the trolley track. He is next to a heavy object, which he can shove onto the track in the path of the trolley to stop it, thereby preventing it from killing the five people. The heavy object is a man, standing next to Ian with his back turned. Ian can shove the man onto the track, resulting in death; or he can refrain from doing this, letting the five die.
Is it morally permissible for Ian to shove the man?
DISCUSS!
Original posting by Braincrave Second Life staff on Dec 25, 2009 at http://www.braincrave.com/viewblog.php?id=64
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