The classic trolley problem is a thought experiment in ethics about a fictional scenario in which an onlooker has the choice to save 5 people in danger of being hit by a trolley, by diverting the trolley to kill just 1 person. The term is often used more loosely with regard to any choice that seemingly has a trade-off between what is good and what sacrifices are “acceptable,” if at all.
The internet has of course come up with it’s own, more complex versions of the trolley problem and we’ve collected some of the best. These trolley problem thought experiments will break your brain:
Prisoner’s Trolley Problem:
Wolverine Trolley Problem:
Company Trolley Problem:
Grandfather Trolley Problem:
Monty Trolley Problem:
Hundred Dollar Trolley Problem:
Ship of Theseus Trolley Problem:
Teleportation Trolley Problem:
Murder Trolley Problem:
Gambler’s Trolley Problem:
Torture Trolley Problem:
Capitalism Trolley Problem:
Wholesome Trolley Problem:
Source: Imgur
Let us know how you would react to these trolley problems in the comments below!
An eastbound trolley car is headed toward five people. If you pull the lever, it will divert to a passing siding with one person on it.
Meanwhile, a westbound trolley car is headed toward those same five people. There is another philosophy student at the east end of the passing siding pondering whether to pull the lever there.
If you both pull your levers, the trolley cars will kill the one person on the passing siding, plus all the people on board the two trolley cars when they crash.
If you both do nothing, the trolley cars will kill the five people on the main track, plus all the people on board the two trolley cars.
If one of you pulls the lever and the other doesn’t, the six people on the tracks will be killed but all the people aboard the two trolley cars will be spared.
The question is this:
At which point did abstract philosophy go completely off the rails?