Runaway Train Problem...

Just curious as to your thoughts on the 'Runaway Train Problem'. I'll explain it below:

The Runaway Train Problem

You are walking past a rail-line when you hear a loud grinding sound. A train without a driver just broke free of it's restraints and is rolling down a hill very quickly to a group of 5 people, it will surely kill them all upon hitting them.

You look around and notice there are a set of controls just in arms reach of you, if you pull the main lever then the tracks will change and the train will divert from those 5 people.

Unfortunately, it will change to another track where only 1 person is standing and it will kill them instead.

... so, what would you do? Would you pull the lever, changing the trains direction to hit the single person instead of 5? Or would you let the train squash the other 5 people? Try and explain your answer.





My answer:

I would actually let the 5 people die... which sounds off but it's all just a question of ethics.

To understand this choice you need to look at it as if the other 5 people weren't there. Because in all seriousness you do not have control over that set of circumstances. The train breaking free and heading towards that group of 5 people was an occurance you did not have any control over and thus would of happened if you were there or not.

By pulling the lever you are comitting murder to a certain degree, as you are altering an occurance that would of happened regardless of your activities and manipulated it to kill a human being. Sure, you've saved 5 others in the process, but it is YOUR actions that murdered that person.

I know you're thinking "Well, if I didn't pull the lever then my actions would have killed 5 people instead". What you need to realise that the train breaking free wasn't your action and was going to happen regardless. You did not manipulate the scenario in any way, and thus did not kill those people.

Also, by pulling the lever and killing the single person you cannot pin the reason on the runaway train. The train was a tool of destruction but was only destructive to that single person due to your actions.

Example, there's a sharp knife lying in the middle of the road and someone picks it up and stabs another person to death with it. Do you really think they would get off by saying "Well, it's the knifes fault for being there, not my action to kill someone with it?"



Mind you, if I only had a split second to chose then I'd pull that lever everytime... but if I was given just a few seconds to think about it then I'd simply couldn't.

I'd obviously save the 5 people. 5 people's lives are better than one.

You explained your answer it great detail lol, myself, I wouldn't get involved and just turn around and run. The adrenaline in the 5 people would make them move.


EDIT: And it anyone dies, it serves them right for being on the track in the first place!

I would just leave things be. It's not my place to play god... yet.

Theoretically I would pull the levers over and over again, untill the train comes to the track change, and eventually flips. (Maybe missing all 6 people.)

Realistically I wouldn't touch it, I would wait for it to do it's damage, then alert the authorities.

Is it too much to ask what the other controls do? A lever isn't quite a control, and in this case if it is "control", what do the other controls do? :P

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You look around and notice there are a set of controls just in arms reach of you.

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Nuff said.

I would never let myself get into this situation so ti doesn't matter.

I like how everyone doesn't give a direct answer.

It's theoretics guys. One way or the other. No middle line :P

Depends who's fitter

If they were standing around on a track then they must be chavs, so I'd let the train mow them down.

it change the tracks when the train is half over it hoping to de-rail it sliding into the 1 person, 5 people and the people on the train ahha :D

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Originally Posted by Misawa

If they were standing around on a track then they must be chavs, so I'd let the train mow them down.

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+REP qft and it's freakin funny to read. xD

This would never happen to me, I'm sure of it.
;)

But if it did somehow I would just turn my back and walk the other way. :eusa_whis

Assuming I was in this suituation and had todo one or the other, I'd pull the lever. I've saved 5 lives, rather than not pulling the lever and saving none.

It's like how some governments are willing to shoot a plane down and sacrifice the people on the plane so it doesn't plow into a building and killing those on the plane and many more for example.

I would leave it how it is, because as you said, by leaving the controls, it isn't my decision to kill them, but by changing them, it WAS my decision to 'kill' that one person.

You obviously don't know how trains work. They dont simply, lose control and their brakes go. They have brakes, and they have back-up brakes, and then they have emergancy brakes. A train going downhill because it's lost control is very unlikley and also, how long is this hill? With the huge weight of the train, it would take a while for it to gain any possible speed. AND ALSO! Why don't these people move? Are they stuck, glued or tied to the track?

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Originally Posted by Xzoid

You obviously don't know how trains work. They dont simply, lose control and their brakes go. They have brakes, and they have back-up brakes, and then they have emergancy brakes. A train going downhill because it's lost control is very unlikley and also, how long is this hill? With the huge weight of the train, it would take a while for it to gain any possible speed. AND ALSO! Why don't these people move? Are they stuck, glued or tied to the track?

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I think you seriously need to grasp the point of this thread.

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Originally Posted by Biohazard

I think you seriously need to grasp the point of this thread.

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What point? It's unclear and silly :P It makes no sense and the make-up of it doesn't correlate with the ins and outs of basic train mechanics and infrastructure.

Besides, apparently there is more than one control, so there could always be another lever to save everyones lives from a slow nudge at the bottom of the hill :P

The plane example would be better, or a car example. Something that's fast and does potential damage. This is a terrible analogy!

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Originally Posted by Misawa

If they were standing around on a track then they must be chavs, so I'd let the train mow them down.

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Hear hear, + REP.

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Originally Posted by GommeInc

What point? It's unclear and silly :P It makes no sense and the make-up of it doesn't correlate with the ins and outs of basic train mechanics and infrastructure. This is a terrible analogy!

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The jist of it is clear - to try to understand how people value human life. It's very similar to the Joker's final stunt with the ferrys.
It's impossible to be totally impartial, what if someone told you to decide who they would kill, either the love of your life or two random strangers - answer or they will all be killed. People shouldn't be made to make such choices because, I at least, feel it's impossible to weigh someone's life against another.

I'd jump in front of it, maybe the train would stop and I'd save 6 peoples lives.

DIDN'T THINK OF THAT DID YOU, HURMMM.

But if the 5 people where chavs then I'd let the train mow them down, but if the other person was Gordon Brown, I'd push him on to the other rail.

What are people doing standing on rails anyway? Stupid peoples.

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Originally Posted by Apeel

What are people doing standing on rails anyway?

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Incidentally, commiting suicide seems like the most probable answer.

Easy answer.

You pull the switch half way, the train hits the fork in the tracks, derails itself, and ultimately falls apart while rolling down the hill.

The 6 people all live, the end.

If the 1 person was Glitter/Amber I would direct the train towards her, no question in my mind!

I would pull the lever, If you knew those 5 people would die, and you didnt do anything to stop it when you can then that is murder to a certain extent. And 5 peoples familys would be upset comapred to just the one persons.

I would just walk away. Not my problem


Or if i had to do something, I'd put a donk on it.

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Originally Posted by Sponge Bob

I would pull the lever, If you knew those 5 people would die, and you didnt do anything to stop it when you can then that is murder to a certain extent. And 5 peoples familys would be upset comapred to just the one persons.

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It's no where near murder and you'd get zilch blame for it :S

That's like witnessing a train crash, and everyone witnessing the train crashing into a car when they could of pulled a lever "is murder to a certain extent."

No that's no where near the same example. If you CAN STOP a train from KILLING 5 people, and you don't, then that's sort of like murder...

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Originally Posted by Sponge Bob

No that's no where near the same example. If you CAN STOP a train from KILLING 5 people, and you don't, then that's sort of like murder...

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Well no not really, however killing one person IS murder.

I'd tell them to get off the tracks sillys

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Originally Posted by Sponge Bob

No that's no where near the same example. If you CAN STOP a train from KILLING 5 people, and you don't, then that's sort of like murder...

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Quite the opposite actually.

If you left it, then you would get no punishment whatsoever - yet if you did change it, and killed that one person, there is a higher chance of something happening.

I like how people can't come up with answers so they find some middle ground :P

It's all theoretics guys. But if you can't think of an answer that's fine too, it is a tough question.