The Trolley Problem

Question 1

Who created the trolley problem?

Answer 1

Phillipa Foot, a British Philosopher

Question 2

What is the fundamental idea of the trolley problem?

Answer 2

• You’re the driver of a trolley, you go round a bend and there are 5 people on the track
• The brakes are not working but you see a fork in the track and could save the 5 people on the track if you go down there
• You would, however, be killing one person if you take the other route
• Is it morally permissible to kill one person in order to save 5 other people

Question 3

What is the second hypothetical concept that links to the trolley problem?

Answer 3

• You’re a surgeon and 5 people need organ transplants

- You could save them all by harvesting one healthy person’s organs

Question 4

What were Foot’s responses to the problem?

Answer 4

• Actively killing one is worse than allowing 5 to die

- Actively killing 5 is worse than actively killing one

Question 5

What are the issues with the driver turning the trolley?

Answer 5

• If he chooses to change direction he is actively choosing to kill the one person left
• If he chooses to not change direction he is making a decision to allow the 5 people to die, but is he choosing to actively kill them?
• Does he have a moral responsibility to turn the trolley and save 5 and kill one?

Question 6

What is the additional scenario that develops the trolley problem?

Answer 6

• A bystander has the ability to flip a switch and change the direction of the trolley

Question 7

What is the trolley problem about?

Answer 7

The idea that moral decisions are not only made based upon their outcome but also what has to be done to achieve them

Question 8

What is the purpose of the trolley problem?

Answer 8

To test people’s ethical and moral decision-making abilities

Question 9

What do utilitarians believe?

Answer 9

• The most ethical course of action is the one that offers the greatest good for the greatest number of people
• Utilitarians value consequence over action.

Question 10

What is the utilitarian response to the trolley problem?

Answer 10

• Change direction in order to save the 5 people, rather than the one

Question 11

What is the virtue ethicists response to the trolley problem?

Answer 11

• Change direction as that would be a charitable act, saving 5 people, and that is what compassionate and virtuous people do

Question 12

What do virtue ethicists believe?

Answer 12

They determine ethicality by the character or natural tendencies of a person rather than the consequences of their actions

Question 13

What do deontologists believe?

Answer 13

They focus on the wrongness or rightness of the action itself as opposed to the consequences of the action

Question 14

What is the deontologist response to the trolley problem?

Answer 14

• Changing direction would be wrong as that would be a form of active killing and that is wrong

Question 15

What do divine command theorists believe?

Answer 15

The only ethical and moral courses of action are those that coincide with the will and command of God

Question 16

What is the divine command theorists response to the trolley problem?

Answer 16

• Changing direction would be morally wrong as killing is condemned by God (10 commandments)

Question 17

What do ethical relativists believe?

Answer 17

That ethical and moral judgement is a matter of opinion, that varies from culture to culture and person to person

Question 18

What is the ethical relativist response to the trolley problem?

Answer 18

• Changing direction and actively causing a death would be culturally inappropriate and illegal, therefore they wouldn’t do it

Question 19

What are two other scenarios of the problem?

Answer 19

• Loop track where someone has to die to stop the trolley

- Fat man where you push him off the bridge to stop the trolley and save everyone