Tuesday, March 24, 2009

Trolley is a problem

Trolley problem is a problem

I, first, have to say that the Trolley Problem is a serious problem. It is easy to say that, through a Utilitarian’s perceptive that, one should die for the safety of five people. However, I would have to agree that problem is too broad and there’s not enough information to make a good or good enough decision. Obviously, if we know the circumstance of the 5 people and the one person; we can, at least, weigh the facts of the people. Then again, life never gives us all of the facts in a sliver planter.
The idea of consent also comes into play in this problem. However, it is hard to ask for consent from either the five people or one person, act exact moment of the incident. Surely, without asking, there is consent to be saved because (1) life is valuable and desiring and (2) there is no reason or truth to believe that person would not want to be saved. Yet, this applies to both the 5 people and the one person.
So what is the right answer to this problem? Quite frankly, I glad that Judith Thomson did not answer the problem because either way, someone is going to die. The person is charge of changing the course of the trolley was put in a situation where that person would and could be consider a murder. However, a decision has to be made and I have notice that in any decision, there’s always going to be something good or bad out of it, in some degree.

1 comment:

  1. The problem with your reluctance of Thomson answering the question is that turning the switch in no way makes anybody a murderer. Murder pre-supposes an intent to kill in some manifestation. Now, the person could be charged with man-slaughter if he changed the course of the track. However, as far as the law is concerned, I doubt there is any court or jury that would convict a man for not acting in the situation, simply because he has no absolute obligation to do so. This analysis, though, focuses on the reaction concerning primarily that individual-not the other factors of the situation such as the situation of the others involved.

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