Trolley Paradox

[Valrifell]

Octopodes. You would think it would be Octopi, but it's 5th declension pous - podis.

It's actually just octopuses.

Both are correct according to Merriam-Webster.

[Olthar]

The Trolley Problem isn't a paradox, it's a moral dilemma and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.

But what if it's a time traveling trolley? Like, either you hit the guy who invented trolleys, or you hit your own grandfather.

[Fartsniffage]

It's actually just octopuses.

Both are correct according to Merriam-Webster.

Like we should trust an American dictionary.....

They can't even spell words correctly.

[Valrifell]

The Trolley Problem isn't a paradox, it's a moral dilemma and I will fight anyone who says otherwise.

But what if it's a time traveling trolley? Like, either you hit the guy who invented trolleys, or you hit your own grandfather.

oh fuck

[Olthar]

It's actually just octopuses.

Both are correct according to Merriam-Webster.

Yeah, but according to Oxford, it's just octopuses.

[LimaUniformNovemberAlpha]

What value are you putting on your Peace of Mind?

Paradoces are irritating and if that trolley were full of a billion hypothetical people, I would blow it up too. But if there were a real person on that trolley, I would rather live with the inconvenience of Paradox than murder the Innocent.

Likewise if that Trolley were full of Guilty real People who could solve all the Paradoces, I would blow it up and live with the Paradoces.

My piece of mind will come from not listening to first year philosophy students go on and on about this ever again. Only interrupted by the reality that they’ll just start going on about something else. Maybe they’ll resurrect game theory, that was equally nauseating.

Game theory explains so much about human behaviour that surveys that could be lied to cannot.

[Valrifell]

Both are correct according to Merriam-Webster.

Yeah, but according to Oxford, it's just octopuses.

Sorry but there are the English speaking countries who use the Oxford dictionary and then there are the countries that landed on the moon

[Olthar]

Yeah, but according to Oxford, it's just octopuses.

Sorry but there are the English speaking countries who use the Oxford dictionary and then there are the countries that landed on the moon

Yeah, but NASA landed on the moon using metric numbers. Checkmate.

[Cannot think of a name]

It's actually just octopuses.

Both are correct according to Merriam-Webster.

to the face!

Gifs are annoyingly hard to link on my phone. Should have been a gif and no comment.

[The Great Imperator Jeffrey]

You can't really call this a paradox because it isn't self-contradicting. I true example of a paradox is something like this:
God can do anything, so He can make a stone that He cannot lift. However, if He could do this, then there would now be something He could not do because He could not lift the stone. Therefore, He cannot make a stone that He cannot lift, but, again, this would mean that God cannot do anything. Therefore, this is a self-contradicting statement, a paradox.

[Thermodolia]

Are we speaking Greek? Let me check ... No, we're not. The plural of "paradox" in English is "paradoxes." I would have gone with "paradoges" because it's pronounced "para-doggies."

But what is the plural of octopus?

Octopussies!!!

[The Right of Might]

yep

[Valrifell]

Can you summarize?

[The Right of Might]

Can you summarize?

So there's this dude named Wittgenstein, right?

[Second Empire of America]

I save the five people in all three scenarios. Even though I'd probably go to jail for three counts of murder, twelve more people would be alive because of me.

However, if there were other doctors in scenario three, I would sacrifice myself instead of Frank, and have the other doctors use my organs to save all six people.

God can do anything, so He can make a stone that He cannot lift. However, if He could do this, then there would now be something He could not do because He could not lift the stone. Therefore, He cannot make a stone that He cannot lift, but, again, this would mean that God cannot do anything. Therefore, this is a self-contradicting statement, a paradox.

That isn't actually a paradox either. An omnipotent being could create something it can't lift, but it wouldn't be omnipotent after. Being omnipotent also means being able to give up your own omnipotence.

[Petrasylvania]

Anyone invoking the Trolley Problem deserves a special place in Hell where they alternate positions on tracks every time a trolley runs them over.

[Northwest Slobovia]

Are you sure? It was many years ago that I studied Greek.

Most words ending in x take plurals in ges or ces. Does Paradox have paradoxical plurals?

Are we speaking Greek? Let me check ... No, we're not. The plural of "paradox" in English is "paradoxes."

Uh-huh: the plural of "ox" in English is "oxen", so it should be "paradoxen". Also, we need to discuss "trolley problem" vs. "tram problem", since I see people have already mentioned the Oxford Rightpondian Dictionary.

*Would actually discuss the topic in the unlikely event somebody could add something to it that hasn't been beaten to death years ago.*

[Unstoppable Empire of Doom]

1, yes I would pull the lever. There is a sign there and I told Frank last week not to derp around on the railroad tracks. Also he is a shitty person who tortures puppies.

2, no that is murder and would lead to my execution. Also the train would have to be tiny. Like laughably tiny. Like it probably is in a mall. Fuck those people.

3, no people who require major surgeries to replace vital organ typically do not live long. They had their chance and probably smoked 4 packs of cigarettes a day. Anyone who agrees with doing this should kill themselves as there is an active organ transplant list waiting for them at most major hospitals.

[Rio Cana]

You do know trains have backup friction brakes. The train could also shut-down its engines. More drastic, reverse engines.

Throwing someone off a bridge to block the track would not stop a train.

Has for the people needing parts, get on a list. If this was in the future then they could clone parts.

[Heloin]

Of every trolley I have ever been, I can't think of one that could ever be a threat to people standing on the tracks.

"The trolley is out of control, it may hit that family up ahead with the next decade."

[Luziyca]

If I had to actually do that IRL, I'd probably be like "someone else, do it, I'm going to go take a shit."

[Petrasylvania]

And are the people in the trolley scenario all quadriplegics? Because that's the only plausible explanation I can think of for them not hearing and seeing a trolley coming on the tracks and getting out of the way. Plus what the fuck are they doing on tracks to begin with?

[The Biggles Syndicate]

I would build an alternate track/bridge really quickly like in old cartoons around the people so the trolley would go around them.

[Bombadil]

I believe the official position of NSG as agreed long ago was..

Always push the fat man.

..and that we'd never bother with this thing again.

[US-SSR]

The question goes to the theory of utilitarianism, or "the greatest good for the greatest number." Under the alternate theory of "natural law" (might not be quite right but can't put my hands on the exact term just now), taking an action that would lead, forseeably and inevitably, to another's death is morally wrong; so throwing a switch or pushing a fat man (and why fat? why not unnaturally large and muscular? and i do like gravy on my French fries, thank you very much) in either situation would not be considered morally right. Leave alone chopping up a healthy patient to provide transplant organs for two or more others.

Personally I'm a moral egoist, so if it's my wife or neighbor standing on the track or sitting on the bridge, it would suck to be a trolley passenger; and if either of them needed a lung or a heart, it would suck to be Fred.

I believe the official position of NSG as agreed long ago was..

Always push the fat man.

..and that we'd never bother with this thing again.

Don't make the fat man angry. You wouldn't like him when he's angry.