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The Murder Dilemma (an ethics question)

What would you do?


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DifferentDrummr

Bald eagle
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Consider the following scenario:

You are in a tower at a rail yard where you can control one switch. A train full of passengers is approaching the fork in the tracks with that switch. You cannot leave the tower or call anyone until the train passes.

On one track, a person is tied to the rails. The other track is damaged. If you do nothing, the train will continue onto the damaged track and derail. Many of the passengers and crew will be killed as a result.

If you switch the train onto the other track, it will pass safely onto its destination, but it will kill the person tied to the tracks.

It's your decision . . .

[Additional details: (1) Once the train passes the fork in the tracks, it can’t be stopped until it hits the person who’s tied up or derails. (2) Switching the tracks isn't actually your job; you just happen to be in the tower because of a set of random circumstances. (3) The person on the tracks was already tied to them when you got there.]
 
Let the train go.

Get it on video.

Sell the video for a million dollars.
 
It would be more of a dilemma if the person tied to the tracks was a close family relation or friend.

Otherwise, the choice would be to save the many over the one.
 
Consider the following scenario:

You are in a tower at a rail yard where you can control one switch. A train full of passengers is approaching the fork in the tracks with that switch. You cannot leave the tower or call anyone until the train passes.

On one track, a person is tied to the rails. The other track is damaged. If you do nothing, the train will continue onto the damaged track and derail. Many of the passengers and crew will be killed as a result.

If you switch the train onto the other track, it will pass safely onto its destination, but it will kill the person tied to the tracks.

It's your decision . . .

[Additional details: (1) Once the train passes the fork in the tracks, it can’t be stopped until it hits the person who’s tied up or derails. (2) Switching the tracks isn't actually your job; you just happen to be in the tower because of a set of random circumstances. (3) The person on the tracks was already tied to them when you got there.]




Send the train to be derailed, then go kill the man tied to the tracks myself. Everybody dies.



Then hunt down whoever came up with this "dilemma" originally and kill HIM. Slowly.
 
I choose to save many over the one. I would be regretful of course but if I had to, that would be my choice.

From a moral/ethical perspective, there is not choice.
 
Send the train to be derailed, then go kill the man tied to the tracks myself. Everybody dies.



Then hunt down whoever came up with this "dilemma" originally and kill HIM. Slowly.

That's a lot of killing. And blood. I take you are in the kill em all and let god sort it out mood?
 
yeah i gotta go with the mr spock theory here

needs of the many
 
Technically, if you flip that switch, you're murdering the person on the tracks, no matter how you look at it.

Murder is a legal term and it does not fit your scenario. The word you're looking for is "killing". Legally it would probably fall under "involuntary manslaughter".
 
Send the train to be derailed, then go kill the man tied to the tracks myself. Everybody dies.



Then hunt down whoever came up with this "dilemma" originally and kill HIM. Slowly.

You wouldn't kill the people who survived the train derailment? How disappointing.
 
Murder is a legal term and it does not fit your scenario. The word you're looking for is "killing". Legally it would probably fall under "involuntary manslaughter".

It might qualify as voluntary manslaughter (and even then I'm not so sure), but there's no way it could be involuntary if the decision to flip the switch is made of your own free will.
 
It might qualify as voluntary manslaughter (and even then I'm not so sure), but there's no way it could be involuntary if the decision to flip the switch is made of your own free will.

Involuntary manslaughter means there was no intent to kill. If I decide to flip the switch my intent is not to kill the man on the tracks but to save the people on the train.
 
It might qualify as voluntary manslaughter (and even then I'm not so sure), but there's no way it could be involuntary if the decision to flip the switch is made of your own free will.

There would be no charges of any kind.... Lesser of two evils

Thom Paine
 
That's a lot of killing. And blood. I take you are in the kill em all and let god sort it out mood?


I have a toothache. That always puts me in a kill-em-all sort of mood. No reason required. :)
 
Involuntary manslaughter means there was no intent to kill. If I decide to flip the switch my intent is not to kill the man on the tracks but to save the people on the train.

But how can it be your "intent not to kill" the man (or woman) on the tracks when you can be all but certain that diverting the train will result in that person's death?
 
Consider the following scenario:

You are in a tower at a rail yard where you can control one switch. A train full of passengers is approaching the fork in the tracks with that switch. You cannot leave the tower or call anyone until the train passes.

On one track, a person is tied to the rails. The other track is damaged. If you do nothing, the train will continue onto the damaged track and derail. Many of the passengers and crew will be killed as a result.

If you switch the train onto the other track, it will pass safely onto its destination, but it will kill the person tied to the tracks.

It's your decision . . .

[Additional details: (1) Once the train passes the fork in the tracks, it can’t be stopped until it hits the person who’s tied up or derails. (2) Switching the tracks isn't actually your job; you just happen to be in the tower because of a set of random circumstances. (3) The person on the tracks was already tied to them when you got there.]

I would turn around and walk out, in turn doing nothing presuming its none of my business. At least that's what I like to think I would do. In actuality the only times I really wouldn't switch the tracks would be if it were my child or spouse or sibling. I am very family oriented that way. Family before everyone else. If its someone I don't know, or is not family then yes I would switch the tracks. I have made decisions with similar potential to this type before with people I knew well. A couple situations came to fruition. The decision itself is easy at least when you make them before an incident. Dealing with it afterword's sucks. Lots of second guessing and self doubt, on your part wondering if you could have done better or differently. Leadership has its benefits, it also has its costs. I think the costs outweigh the benefits by far in these type scenarios.
 
Technically, if you flip that switch, you're murdering the person on the tracks, no matter how you look at it.

Only if you do it with the intent to kill, and you had a choice in the matter. It isn't technically murder in the scenario you laid out.
 
I have a toothache. That always puts me in a kill-em-all sort of mood. No reason required. :)

Toothaches and migraines do it every time. :moody

Good luck with getting better. I normally take a couple of migraine formula aspirins and hit the sack. The other thing that works is oil of oregano. You put that on and about your tooth with a dropper for a few minutes. There's catch to the oil though, it is very pungent and foul tasting. But it works for a good while till you can get to the dentist, or at least get some sleep.:)
 
It might qualify as voluntary manslaughter (and even then I'm not so sure), but there's no way it could be involuntary if the decision to flip the switch is made of your own free will.

Actually it does come under involuntary manslaughter. The reason being is that the person comes into a situation not of his doing and reacting as a fairly reasonable man would. There really is no choice in the situation looking at it from a logical perspective. Further I doubt highly any prosecutor would even bring up charges. If they did I could just about guarantee that a jury would NEVER convict someone of any "crime" relating to this incident in these circumstances. The law is based on what presumably a reasonable man would do and that is one of the test though which law must pass muster. Or least it used to.
 
Actually it does come under involuntary manslaughter. The reason being is that the person comes into a situation not of his doing and reacting as a fairly reasonable man would. There really is no choice in the situation looking at it from a logical perspective. Further I doubt highly any prosecutor would even bring up charges. If they did I could just about guarantee that a jury would NEVER convict someone of any "crime" relating to this incident in these circumstances. The law is based on what presumably a reasonable man would do and that is one of the test though which law must pass muster. Or least it used to.

That was part of the reason the scenario was framed this way. To factor out any legal issues and leave the decision purely to ethics.
 
I've been trying to imagine myself in that situation and I honestly have no clue what I would do. I probably would instinctively react at the last possible second, but I really don't know which way. :shock:
 
I've been trying to imagine myself in that situation and I honestly have no clue what I would do. I probably would instinctively react at the last possible second, but I really don't know which way. :shock:

The decision is a no brainier.
 
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