You're a train conductor, and up ahead there are 4 people tied to your current track. They will die if the train continues it's path. You have the option, before that, of veering off to a different track. If you do this you will have chosen to kill the 1 person tied up to that particular track. You can't stop the train. What do you do?
2006-09-03 07:38:16 · 9 answers · asked by paddy 3 in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
Well, utilitarianism would tell you provide the greatest good for the greatest number of people. So, that would mean to switch the track and kill the one person instead of killing four people.
I usually don't consider myself to be a utilitarian but in this case I would have to be, because of the fact you would be saving three lives. This is a difficult question because you would ideally not want to see anyone die - but in this question, someone dieing is inevitable.
2006-09-03 07:54:40 · answer #1 · answered by Paley Pale 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
This is awful, my stomach is churning in angst. It would be better for one to die than four, but my soul would die too. I would veer off and pull the brakes on with all my strength. I would try to derail the train, no, that would kill even more. I would use my hover board and zoom ahead and try to untie #1 in time. Where is Superman when I need him? If it is dark I would use my Batman light to summon, oh, that wouldn't work. Batman is too slow. Oh crap, what a mess. I think I will re-boot this computer and download some i-tunes. Bye!
2006-09-03 07:55:54 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
How about veering, jumping out of the train, landing in the car waiting to take you to saftey, grabing the wheel, racing like mad past the train and grabbing the one person on the track (the train was low on coal. ; ] ), and asking who's stupid idea this prank was when you realize that the kid wasn't really tied to the track and would have rolled out of the way just in time.
2006-09-03 07:49:01 · answer #3 · answered by Breezy-E 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
reverse the engine and make the train to go backwards, by the way, unlike driving a car, there's no steering wheel onboard a train.train conductor can not choose which track they take, he can only move it forward, backward, or make a stop. next time do some research first, or just try to use your head a bit.
2006-09-03 09:14:25 · answer #4 · answered by jingleh4m 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Oh Paddy, what an awful question. You are very wicked. But I would choose to jump off the train into the arms of amy Prince who just happened to be riding by.
2006-09-03 07:41:15 · answer #5 · answered by Isis 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I would choose the other path and kill one of the people. But still, there always exists alternative options in reality.
2006-09-03 07:49:07 · answer #6 · answered by satilatrom 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Jump off before it gets to that point........ I can't make a decision like that. And I'd try and grab somebody, a kid if possible, to jump with me, in case the train derails and kills even more.
2006-09-03 07:42:48 · answer #7 · answered by Squirrley Temple 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
if you were the 1 person tied up then i'd go for you for asking a stupid Q. Heard that 1 before.
2006-09-03 07:54:50 · answer #8 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I answer first, and if the answering makes me think of or makes my day, then i'm going to famous individual. i understand...that's choosy of me, sorry. o.o yet this sort I finally end up pointing my followers and contacts to the *solid stuff* you realize? ^__^ Or a minimum of i attempt to. yet have a famous individual besides purely for being affected person and understanding. ^_^
2016-11-06 08:35:29 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋