2006-09-16 18:18:54 · 16 answers · asked by Anonymous in Arts & Humanities ➔ Philosophy
A train is barreling down a track towards a mass of people who have no escape. Their lives are in imminent danger. You could flip a switch to divert the train from the people, yet that would mean the train would collide into barrels of explosives killing you. Would you flip the switch and save them even if it meant losing your own life?
2006-09-16 18:27:33 · update #1
If you plan to save someones life at the cost of your own life than it is not possible because there is a huge difference between planning and implementing. But if the situation like this ever occurs before anybody (except for terrorists) i don't think anybody is going to stop himself to sacrifice one life for the sake of thousands. You are talking about thousand lifes, i have seen many example where people have sacrificed their own life for a single person because when the situation occurred before them it was not the question that whose life is important but the important question was how to save the person who is in danger.
2006-09-16 20:01:14 · answer #1 · answered by goodbye 6 · 10⤊ 0⤋
Yes, I would flip the switch in order to save a 1000 people.
2006-09-17 02:46:57 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. Absolutely.
I'm amazed that people would answer the question with, only if it was people I cared about, or would it really help, or need more information.
I think your question is very strait forward, and simple. It bothers me that people would say no to this question. They are saying that they are more important than 1000 people? Or they care so little about other people that if it was between them and 1000 others, they would pick themselves? It's hard for me to understand. It's not just selfish greedy people, it's cruel people that would rather save themselves.
2006-09-17 01:28:15 · answer #3 · answered by Michael M 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The question should be, even if you did offer your life, would it really help? Is it necessary? Are you really that powerful?
Say, if a terrorist hijacked your flight, would your sacrifice stop the terrorist's intended actions?
Or say, if you sacrificed your life, you would help create a medical breakthrough that could save lives. Then again, we have stem-cell research so it wouldn't be necessary.
However, for the sake of answering this question, assuming that my death will definitely save a thousand people, I would do so gladly.
2006-09-17 01:25:20 · answer #4 · answered by floozy_niki 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If they were people I knew and cared about, I definitely would. If they were just 1,000 random people out of the 6 billion+ people that currently inhabiting Earth, no. AS odds go, I probably would not know or care about any of the 1,000 people if they were selected at random; in this case I would not offer my life.
2006-09-17 01:25:07 · answer #5 · answered by the aged and experienced one 1 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I am not special and they aren't either. They don't give a damn about me and vice versa Life will move on - even if there are 1000 less people in the world.
But then again, I am a misanthrope (one who has distrust of people).
2006-09-17 01:38:39 · answer #6 · answered by Tyler Durden 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
yes, because each person has something important to offer in life. just as i do, so i would let my self be destroyed in order to save 1000 people with a 1000 different things to offer in place of mine
2006-09-17 19:00:39 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
No. My therapist tells me to hold myself in high esteem and look after numero uno first and foremost.
2006-09-17 01:24:25 · answer #8 · answered by ElOsoBravo 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sure,if it really can save those people.
2006-09-17 01:38:16 · answer #9 · answered by sunny_zhao1988 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Yes I would, but if God would safe me to it would be great.
2006-09-17 03:42:23 · answer #10 · answered by Miss Sunshine Angle 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋