Are You Willing to Kill 1 to Save 5?
What the Trolley Problem reveals about your values.
The Trolley Problem dates back to Phillipa Foot’s 1967 paper — “The Problem of Abortion and the Doctrine of the Double Effect.”
And since then, it’s usage has spiralled out of control — regularly featuring in Philosophical works from the likes of Judith Jarvis Thompson and Peter Singer.
It has also become an internet phenomenon; with Facebook and Twitter pages posting adapting versions of the problem to millions of followers.
It seems we all know what the problem poses — and our answer gives us insight into the ethical values we hold.
But, it seems, what the conclusion of the trolley problem should be is largely open to dispute.
So; is it permissible to kill someone as a means to save 5?
Your answer could reveal a lot about the ethical values that you live by on a day to day basis — and could dictate the decisions that you make.
Recap — The Thought Experiment.
You’re walking alongside a train track when you hear a sudden scream.
The train track in front of you splits into two lanes.