On the Subject of Morals

by **Digital Planets** » Tue May 24, 2016 1:12 am

Now with less abortions!

Rule 1: No cop-outs or bullshittery.
Rule 2: Time-travel or using Aquaman's powers is forbidden.

Suppose you're controlling the direction(!) of a train going about 60 miles an hour. Life's good, not much is going on, but what's up ahead? It appears there's a split in the railroad, where on the left split, there's some people you don't know tied down to the rails. On the right split, your family is tied down: parents, children, spouse, Betty White, whatever.

So who do you choose to save? Personally, I'd run the strangers over, for the good of mankind, I say. About 62% of you will disagree, and I will just simply say, good on you for murdering your family.

Have at it.

by **Mahakala** » Tue May 24, 2016 1:14 am

I'd run over the strangers.

by **Manitriton** » Tue May 24, 2016 1:16 am

Well, if we were going on the fact that my family would probably want me to save the others, so...
I would run over my family, but only because they would probs want me to.

by **Ashkera** » Tue May 24, 2016 1:18 am

Either way, someone needs to find the guy that did it and either permanently isolate him or just shoot him, depending on the situation.

I bet it's this guy:

by **Spiffier** » Tue May 24, 2016 1:19 am

I don't touch the controls.

by **Nova Roma et agros captos** » Tue May 24, 2016 1:20 am

My family would rather the strangers lived so I'd kill my family

by **The Nihilistic view** » Tue May 24, 2016 1:29 am

If one is controlling the direction then one can make the train go in the opposite direction to it's current one and thus away from the junction thereby saving everybody.

You're welcome.

by **Minzerland** » Tue May 24, 2016 1:33 am

I'd pull the brake of course.

by **Mexican Liberation** » Tue May 24, 2016 1:37 am

When in doubt....

Multi-track drifting

by **Parhe** » Tue May 24, 2016 2:32 am

Safe to assume there is the same amount of people on both sides? If so and I have to kill one group, I'll kill the strangers. I love at least one member of my nuclear family and I don't even know anyone on the other side. If they were famous for something good, I would know them.

Plus, statistically, my family, both nuclear and extended, is better than a random group of other Americans. No one is obese, each adult is well educated and/or self made regardless, no one has a criminal record, and the adults each makes a lot of money or are comfortably retired.

by **Alvecia** » Tue May 24, 2016 2:35 am

I'm not sure I like this problem as a premise for talking about morals. By introducing an emotional element, i.e. your family, you open the possibility of irrational thought and action.

by **Frank Zipper** » Tue May 24, 2016 2:38 am

Depends on the life insurance situation.

by **Pranovia** » Tue May 24, 2016 2:52 am

Stop the train, evacuate the people, then burn the train. Done!

by **Mahakala** » Tue May 24, 2016 2:53 am

Pranovia wrote:Stop the train, evacuate the people, then burn the train. Done!

What if there is not enough time to safely stop the train and evacuate the people?

by **Pranovia** » Tue May 24, 2016 2:54 am

Mahakala wrote:
Pranovia wrote:Stop the train, evacuate the people, then burn the train. Done!

What if there is not enough time to safely stop the train and evacuate the people?

Stab the train with a knife then it will stop. Cut it per portion or start burning it immediately.

by **Alvecia** » Tue May 24, 2016 2:54 am

Mahakala wrote:
Pranovia wrote:Stop the train, evacuate the people, then burn the train. Done!

What if there is not enough time to safely stop the train and evacuate the people?

What if you had a magic wand that could create a new and safe track free of people?

by **Parhe** » Tue May 24, 2016 2:55 am

Pranovia wrote:Stop the train, evacuate the people, then burn the train. Done!

Why burn the train after you find a way to stop it? :eyebrow:

by **Mahakala** » Tue May 24, 2016 2:56 am

Pranovia wrote:
Mahakala wrote:What if there is not enough time to safely stop the train and evacuate the people?

Stab the train with a knife then it will stop.

...I don't think that's how it works.

by **Fritolaytopia** » Tue May 24, 2016 3:23 am

Where will the train go if I don't bother to mess with it? Perhaps it will derail and kill everyone in a 25 mile squared area?

If Betty White is tied down with my family then it's a no-brainer that you run the strangers over. I hope that even people who hate their family would choose to spare Betty.

by **Costa Fierro** » Tue May 24, 2016 3:34 am

I'd commit suicide and let the train derail, likely killing both lots of people as well as some passengers aboard the train.

by **Frank Zipper** » Tue May 24, 2016 3:36 am

Costa Fierro wrote:I'd commit suicide and let the train derail, likely killing both lots of people as well as some passengers aboard the train.

But think of the inheritance.

by **Singaporean Transhumans** » Tue May 24, 2016 3:51 am

Isn't this another variation of the trolley problem

Great now I will stay away from the railroad industry

by **Vassenor** » Tue May 24, 2016 3:53 am

Singaporean Transhumans wrote:Isn't this another variation of the trolley problem

Great now I will stay away from the railroad industry

It is the trolley problem.

In the real world, you hit the emergency brake. Then you can satisfy yourself that no matter the outcome you did everything in your power to prevent loss of life.

by **Free Missouri** » Tue May 24, 2016 10:56 pm

I'd sacrifice my own life to save everyone, get sainted by the Catholic Church and forever be remembered as an American Hero.

by **The United Colonies of Earth** » Tue May 24, 2016 11:01 pm

The Nihilistic view wrote:If one is controlling the direction then one can make the train go in the opposite direction to it's current one and thus away from the junction thereby saving everybody.

You're welcome.

*makes up copout*
That sounds like a good idea.