We have a hard decision to make. The trolley problem is a thought experiment in ethics about a fictional scenario in which an onlooker has the choice to save 5 people in danger of being hit by a trolley, by diverting the trolley to kill just 1 person .
What is the answer to the trolley problem?
Foot’s own response to the Trolley Problem was that the morally justified action would be to steer the trolley to kill the one workman, thus saving a net four lives . In order to demonstrate the morality of this, she made a distinction between what she called ‘negative duties’ and ‘positive duties’.
What does the Trolley Problem teach us?
The trolley problem is a question of human morality , and an example of a philosophical view called consequentialism. This view says that morality is defined by the consequences of an action, and that the consequences are all that matter. ... It’s a question of human morality.
Is the Trolley Problem useful?
The morality of actions cannot just be decided by public votes. Yet, despite all its shortcomings, the Trolley Problem remains an exciting and useful approach . It is extremely unlikely someone will ever encounter a situation where a fat man could be thrown from a bridge in order to save five people.
What is the right thing to do in the Trolley Problem?
The right thing to do is to pull the lever , diverting the trolley onto the side track where it will kill one person.
Who posed the Trolley Problem?
Philippa Foot , a philosopher who argued that moral judgments have a rational basis, and who introduced the renowned ethical thought experiment known as the Trolley Problem, died at her home in Oxford, England, on Oct. 3, her 90th birthday.
What is the purpose of the trolley?
Trolley is the device used for carrying load or to transport the material from one point to another .
Where does the trolley problem come from?
The “trolley problem” is generally believed to have been invented by an English philosopher by the name of Philippa Foot . She was born in 1920 and taught for many years at Oxford. The trolley problem was further developed and made popular by another woman philosopher, Judith Jarvis Thomson, who teaches at M. I. T.
Would you pull the trolley lever?
The Trolley Problem: In Defence Of Doing Nothing
If you pull the lever, you’re causing the death of the one person. Causing people to die seems like killing. And killing people is wrong. Ergo, we shouldn’t pull the lever .
Where did the trolley problem originate?
Its story begins in 1967 at Oxford University , when the “grand dame of philosophy” Philippa Foot devised the example of the runaway streetcar—“tram” in England, “trolley” in the U.S.—while discussing the permissibility of abortion.
Why do you think moral reasoning is important in moral decision making?
Moral reasoning applies critical analysis to specific events to determine what is right or wrong , and what people ought to do in a particular situation. ... In fact, evidence shows that the moral principle or theory a person chooses to apply is often, ironically, based on their emotions, not on logic.
How do morals affect decision making?
Moral values, rules, and virtues provide standards for morally acceptable decisions , without prescribing how we should reach them. However, moral theories do assume that we are, at least in principle, capable of making the right decisions. ... Both nonmoral and moral decisions may resort to intuitions and heuristics.
Is it important to develop a moral reasoning?
Starting from a young age, people can make moral decisions about what is right and wrong; this makes morality fundamental to the human condition. ... Moral reasoning is an important and often daily process that people use when trying to do the right thing .
How does reason affect decision making?
Reason. By thinking reasonably, we can logically process information and situations , this allows to find answers and solve problems easily, it also makes us judge situations carefully.
What is knowing a good moral decision?
A moral decision is a choice made based on a person’s ethics, manners, character, and what they believe is proper behavior . These decisions tend to affect not only our own well-being, but the well-being of others. ... Each of them is designed to deliver the most virtuous and just resolution to a moral dilemma.
What is the role of feelings in moral decision?
Emotions – that is to say feelings and intuitions – play a major role in most of the ethical decisions people make . ... Inner-directed negative emotions like guilt, embarrassment, and shame often motivate people to act ethically. Outer-directed negative emotions, on the other hand, aim to discipline or punish.
