The Trolley Problem

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4.8 • 2.8K Ratings

🗓️ 24 July 2019

⏱️ 51 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

The trolley problem is a thought experiment in ethics. The general form of the problem is this:

You see a runaway trolley moving toward five tied-up (or otherwise incapacitated) people lying on the tracks. You are standing next to a lever that controls a switch. If you pull the lever, the trolley will be redirected onto a side track, and the five people on the main track will be saved. However, there is a single person lying on the side track. You have two options:

Do nothing and allow the trolley to kill the five people on the main track.

Pull the lever, diverting the trolley onto the side track where it will kill one person.

Which is the more ethical option?

Transcript

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0:00.0	Hey podcast listeners, just a quick apology before we get started today.
0:04.1	There was a problem with some of the audio coming out of our latest record that really
0:07.4	affected me and Eli's stuff.
0:10.4	So we had to go with a backup record that's a slightly lower quality.
0:13.6	It's not so bad that it's going to be hard to listen to, but it's bad enough that it
0:16.5	would be weird if we didn't at least acknowledge it.
0:18.8	So sorry about that.
0:20.5	Enjoy the show.
0:22.4	I understand that, but I can't keep him from calling you.
0:26.0	Well, well then change your number.
0:28.7	What kind of locksmith are you?
0:30.7	Well, hello, Cecil.
0:32.7	God damn it.
0:34.5	As you can see, I prepared a little choice for you today.
0:38.3	How did you even do any of that?
0:40.5	Time and money can do many things, my friend.
0:43.5	Either way, as you can see, the 435 to Boston will be making an unexpected detour today.
0:50.3	But where is your choice?
0:52.5	Eli, this isn't going to work.
0:54.3	I'm just, it's not going to...
0:55.3	Leave the lever in front of you, and Noah, Heath and Tom will be crushed.
0:59.7	Pull it, and the train will kill your best friend.
	...

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