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 . ... Trolley problem is the name given to a thought experiment in philosophy and psychology.
Is there a correct answer to the trolley problem?
No Solution , No Problem
Like most philosophical problems, the Trolley Problem is not designed to have a solution.
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.
Is the Trolley Problem an ethical dilemma?
The “Trolley Dilemma’ is an ethical thought experiment where there is a runaway trolley moving down railway tracks. In its path, there are five people tied up and unable to move and the trolley is heading straight for them. People are told that they are standing some distance off in the train yard, next to a lever.
What does the Trolley Problem says about you?
In the Trolley Problem, a train is hurtling down the tracks towards five men stuck in its path. ... The utilitarian answer is that the moral decision is to sacrifice the heavyweight man, because you’d still be killing one to save five .
What is the trolley problem an example of?
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 question does the trolley problem raise?
To the wider world, and perhaps especially to undergraduate philosophy students, she is best known for inventing the Trolley Problem, which raises the question of why it seems permissible to steer a trolley aimed at five people toward one person while it seems impermissible to do something such as killing one healthy ...
Who started the Trolley Problem?
This is the crux of the classic thought experiment known as the trolley dilemma, developed by philosopher Philippa Foot in 1967 and adapted by Judith Jarvis Thomson in 1985.
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 would a Deontologist do in the Trolley Problem?
A deontologist would further argue that killing is never acceptable — it would be immoral to pull the lever to kill on (in the above case pulling the lever would be considered actively killing the person) , even if that meant allowing the trolley to continue on its course to kill 100 people.
What is Thomson’s solution to the trolley problem?
In “The Trolley Problem,” Thomson offered a solution—call this her First Solu- tion—according to which the bystander may flip the switch in Bystander be- cause were he to do so (1) he makes what was threatening five come to threaten only one and (2) he does so not by any means that constitute an infringement of any ...
What are some examples of ethical dilemmas?
- Taking credit for others’ work.
- Offering a client a worse product for your own profit.
- Utilizing inside knowledge for your own profit.
Which of the following dilemmas are variations on the Trolley Problem?
Normative claims state the way things ought to be. Which of the following dilemmas are variations on the trolley problem? The doctor problem and the large man next to the train tracks.
How do you ask for a trolley problem?
- Do nothing and allow the trolley to kill the five people on the main track.
- Pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the side track where it will kill one person.
What does a question like 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.
What is best for the greater good?
Thus, an action that results in the greatest pleasure for the utility of society is the best action, or as Jeremy Bentham, the founder of early Utilitarianism put it, as the greatest happiness of the greatest number. ... According to Mill, good actions result in pleasure, and that there is no higher end than pleasure.
