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Absurd Trolley Problems

neal.fun

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Re: Absurd Trolley Problems

#131

Post by [deleted] »

paxys wrote: post #118
everfree wrote: post #98

I'm surprised to see the popular answer to Question 3. > Oh no! A trolley is heading towards 5 people. You can pull the lever to divert it to the other track, but then your life savings will be destroyed. What do you do? Over 70% chose to pull the lever and destroy their life savings. People die of preventable causes in developing countries today. By choosing not to donate your life savings today to help them, you ar…

You are discounting the simple possibility that 70% of respondents do not have any significant "life savings" to speak of.

[deleted]

Re: Absurd Trolley Problems

#132

Post by oefnak »

ConstantVigil wrote: post #127
everfree wrote: post #98

I'm surprised to see the popular answer to Question 3. > Oh no! A trolley is heading towards 5 people. You can pull the lever to divert it to the other track, but then your life savings will be destroyed. What do you do? Over 70% chose to pull the lever and destroy their life savings. People die of preventable causes in developing countries today. By choosing not to donate your life savings today to help them, you ar…

This is all assuming that the money actually goes towards them, and not to everyone else inbetween you and that person you are trying to help. And while yes, some good charities do exist apparently; I can't name any. Edit: and no one better try to say 'WE' is a good charity.

He just named one: GiveWell.

Re: Absurd Trolley Problems

#133

Post by ConstantVigil »

raverbashing wrote: post #125
mrcartmeneses wrote: post #121

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Perhaps there are some other factors involved such as immediacy, distance, agency, surety and that the question is hypothetical?

You can always *pass the hat" amongst the survivors

This. Though I might try to get them to agree first before pulling the lever.

Re: Absurd Trolley Problems

#134

Post by ConstantVigil »

oefnak wrote: post #132
ConstantVigil wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is all assuming that the money actually goes towards them, and not to everyone else inbetween you and that person you are trying to help. And while yes, some good charities do exist apparently; I can't name any. Edit: and no one better try to say 'WE' is a good charity.

He just named one: GiveWell.

Sorry, but wasn't taking it at face value just cause it was used as a data point only at the time.

And not to be that person; but proof please.

I really do want a comprehensive list if possible of which charities are actually worthy of even being allowed to keep existing on this planet.

Re: Absurd Trolley Problems

#135

Post by woodruffw »

zamadatix wrote: post #126
woodruffw wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I selected that one. Not because I'm particularly selfless, but because I think it's morally wrong to throw the switch whenever doing so amounts to killing someone, even when inaction results in more death.

I'm curious how far you're willing to take that, e.g. if instead of a couple people on a track it was "press the button to confirm destroying the bomber and pilot or let the nuke drop on NYC due to lack of confirmation" counts?

That’s the eternal question :-)

Allow me a dodge: I think that I’d probably press the button, but that it’s strictly wrong for me to do so. Chalk it up to weakness.

Re: Absurd Trolley Problems

#136

Post by everfree »

ConstantVigil wrote: post #127
everfree wrote: post #98

I'm surprised to see the popular answer to Question 3. > Oh no! A trolley is heading towards 5 people. You can pull the lever to divert it to the other track, but then your life savings will be destroyed. What do you do? Over 70% chose to pull the lever and destroy their life savings. People die of preventable causes in developing countries today. By choosing not to donate your life savings today to help them, you ar…

This is all assuming that the money actually goes towards them, and not to everyone else inbetween you and that person you are trying to help. And while yes, some good charities do exist apparently; I can't name any. Edit: and no one better try to say 'WE' is a good charity.

GiveWell is a research platform for finding good charities. I referenced them in my original comment.

Re: Absurd Trolley Problems

#138

Post by ConstantVigil »

everfree wrote: post #136
ConstantVigil wrote: post #127

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is all assuming that the money actually goes towards them, and not to everyone else inbetween you and that person you are trying to help. And while yes, some good charities do exist apparently; I can't name any. Edit: and no one better try to say 'WE' is a good charity.

GiveWell is a research platform for finding good charities. I referenced them in my original comment.

Edit: Okay, I might be a bit tired. Sorry... I should have read that twice...

Comment redacted to help hide idiocy... sorry.

Re: Absurd Trolley Problems

#139

Post by robocat »

kadoban wrote: post #71
woodruffw wrote: post #18

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I selected that one. Not because I'm particularly selfless, but because I think it's morally wrong to throw the switch whenever doing so amounts to killing someone, even when inaction results in more death.

What if the switch is a hair-trigger movement sensor, so you must stand very still not to trigger it? Which one is "inaction" now, purposefully standing very still, or acting as you would have otherwise?

That completely changes the question because it gives you obvious deniability, whereas the lever probably does not. Especially if witnessed.

That matters legally (accidental death) versus intent (mens rea, murder).

It also matters socially, because you can deny that you made any choice even though you may have chosen (assuming you only do it once). You can even deny it to yourself.

It does beg the question: who set the trolley up to kill people, and why did you happen to be standing on the trigger?

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