Moral Dilemma #128

[Othelos]

Say you were in control of the direction that a train was going. A split in the track is coming up, and you have two choices. In one direction, 5 people that you don't know are tied down onto the track. In the other direction, a person you are extremely close with is tied down on that track.

Which direction do you choose?

If you chose to save the five people, what if the track you chose had two or three loved ones? If you chose to saved the loved one, what if the number of people that you had to run over in order to save him/her was 10 or 20?

****also no witty loopholes please, you cannot derail or stop the train to avoid the situation. You are in control of the direction, not the engine/track. Everyone is tied down in such a way that they will die if you choose their direction. You also cannot avoid responsibility by letting the train 'run its course'.

I have been considering this for a while and I'm having a tough time deciding.

[Benuty]

You watched the morality of murder discussions didn't you?

[Othelos]

You watched the morality of murder discussions didn't you?

I forgot where I got this from, but it's from something recent.

[Jetan]

The loved one. Five strangers aren't worth a friend or family member.

[United Marxist Nations]

Probably the one loved one. If it were enough people though, I would be compelled. Man, this is really dark, Othelos, can't you just get your friends from your flag to do some kind of Matrix thing to simulate it?

[Benuty]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trolley_problem

Found it.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Most_(2003_film)
The movie was ok.

[Othelos]

Probably the one loved one. If it were enough people though, I would be compelled. Man, this is really dark, Othelos, can't you just get your friends from your flag to do some kind of Matrix thing to simulate it?

eh just picture it in your head

[Cyrisnia]

Hope for a derailing.

[Othelos]

Probably the one loved one. If it were enough people though, I would be compelled. Man, this is really dark, Othelos, can't you just get your friends from your flag to do some kind of Matrix thing to simulate it?

eh just picture it in your head

Oh waaait this is from the article benuty provided:

"In 2012, participants made their choices while wearing a head mounted display device that displayed virtual avatars of the trolley victims, and gave a real time simulation of the approaching vehicle. As the vehicle approached, the virtual avatars in the path would begin to scream until impact. Subjects who were more emotionally aroused during the test were less likely to kill the one."

[Othelos]

Hope for a derailing.

no, there are no cop-outs, read the OP.

[Chestaan]

The morally correct thing to do is to kill the loved one. I would hope that that is what I would do but I'm not sure if it came to it that I would be strong enough.

[Cyrisnia]

Hope for a derailing.

no, there are no cop-outs, read the OP.

[Digital Planets]

The morally correct thing to do is to kill the loved one. I would hope that that is what I would do but I'm not sure if it came to it that I would be strong enough.

No, the morally correct thing is to kill the five people, because who gives a fuck who they are? Peasants are never worth saving.

[Benuty]

The morally correct thing to do is to kill the loved one. I would hope that that is what I would do but I'm not sure if it came to it that I would be strong enough.

No, the morally correct thing is to kill the five people, because who gives a fuck who they are?

That is more loved ones grieving.

There is no win in this situation only a loss that can be painful to you (and your family) or the families of people simply struck down in their prime.

[Cyrisnia]

In all seriousness, I'd probably choose the family member.

[Digital Planets]

No, the morally correct thing is to kill the five people, because who gives a fuck who they are?

That is more loved ones grieving.

There is no win in this situation only a loss that can be painful to you (and your family) or the families of people simply struck down in their prime.

Oh, there's a win situation here. Running over peasants doesn't change much as long as you still have the person closer to you.

[Othelos]

That is more loved ones grieving.

There is no win in this situation only a loss that can be painful to you (and your family) or the families of people simply struck down in their prime.

Oh, there's a win situation here. Running over peasants doesn't change much as long as you still have the person closer to you.

Even if it was, say, 100 people you didn't know?

[Digital Planets]

Oh, there's a win situation here. Running over peasants doesn't change much as long as you still have the person closer to you.

Even if it was, say, 100 people you didn't know?

Yes, and for one good reason: Who the fuck are you people? No one important to me. *proceed whistling while speeding up the train*

Yeah, grieve all you want, just don't grieve in my general area, or I'll tie you down on the train track.

[Krjder]

I would save the loved one, be it friend, family, partner...

[Confederate People of the United States]

Hmm, save my mom, who gave birth to me and gave me a decent future. Or save five people for all I know deserve a train smashing in their face. Save my mom. Fuck morality, do right for those that did right for you.

[Krjder]

Even if it was, say, 100 people you didn't know?

Yes, and for one good reason: Who the fuck are you people? No one important to me. *proceed whistling while speeding up the train*

Yeah, grieve all you want, just don't grieve in my general area, or I'll tie you down on the train track.

You sir, I like you.

[Alyakia]

*shrug* in this state of mind i'd probably save the one.

five strangers: really conflicted, but oh well
twenty five: pushing it
hundred: taking a serious think about it
ridiclous track where the train runs over a millon people, using the blood and tears of its previous victims to keep it fueled for miles on end: this is probably the point where as hard as it is may be any moral human would want the train to kill them, so down it goes

[Text People]

I would only save, or aid, those I place the most value on in the first place, related to me or not. This takes no thought.

1 person can be greater than millions. I'm not a believer in Spock's philosophy.

[Othelos]

Even if it was, say, 100 people you didn't know?

Yes, and for one good reason: Who the fuck are you people? No one important to me. *proceed whistling while speeding up the train*

Yeah, grieve all you want, just don't grieve in my general area, or I'll tie you down on the train track.

what if they are acquaintances of yours?

[Chestaan]

I would only save, or aid, those I place the most value on in the first place, related to me or not. This takes no thought.

1 person can be greater than millions. I'm not a believer in Spock's philosophy.

What if you don't know the others and hence can't calculate their value?