Trolley problem. Just that.

Pull the lever!

  • yes

    Votes: 30 62.5%
  • no

    Votes: 18 37.5%

  • Total voters
    48

Hoshino

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1760861453669.jpeg
 

LeilaniOtter

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This one actually intrigued me because I love space-time puzzles. If the message to "pull" reaches the man before he realizes it, the man might not have been at the switch at all - in fact he could be elsewhere, minding his own business, when the order to "pull" reaches him. As it so happens, the message reached him just before the trolley operator was heading out the cafe door to get into his trolley, having stopped for a coffee,

But when the order to pull came, the morally-challenged person did so - he pulled the door open as the trolley driver reached it, and the driver stumbled out the door, fell, and was hurt.

So the trolley never actually is set in motion, thanks to the light-speed transmission. The day....is saved! ?
 

BearlyAlive

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Now, from an legal perspective any action you could take is a bad one. Watching people die is the legally right choice since you'd otherwise be charged with murder no matter which track you choose.
 

Anonjohn20

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Now, from an legal perspective any action you could take is a bad one. Watching people die is the legally right choice since you'd otherwise be charged with murder no matter which track you choose.
That's only a problem if there are witnesses/survivors. You could have the train run over the large group of people and then finish off the guy who survived. LOL JK
 

MFontana

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I looked around to see if this had previously been discussed on the forums. I couldn't find a thread that showed it, so I thought I'd make it. Serious answer only, although feel free to go haywire in the replies.

I don't think I need to explain it, but just in case:


Before you stand two train tracks, running side by side.​
The first track has five people, all upon it tied.​
The second track- only one- similarly bound.​
In the distance, a chugging; the train starts to sound.​
Your hands rest on a lever, the six start to cry;​
Pull it, and kill the one, or let the five die?
"A strange game. The only winning move is not to play. How about a nice game of chess... Professor?"
 

BearlyAlive

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That's only a problem if there are witnesses/survivors. You could have the train run over the large group of people and then finish off the guy who survived. LOL JK
It would still be legally murder, doubly so if you kill the witness as well. The trolley problem from the view of a lawyer was an anecdote a former colleague liked to tell. His favorite answer to it was pretty close to yours. "Just block the way forward after the first crunch, and then the one they came from; since you didn't actually help in the murder, best they could charge you is blocking the railway."
 
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