Prosperity Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 I remember studying all of these in philosophy classes. Would be interested to see how those on this board might respond.http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4954856.stm (Click link for the dilemmas.) #1 I agree you have no obligation to stay hooked up to the violinist. but the situation is too simple to be applied to abortion. Would I help the violinist? That depends on a lot of factors, such as how long I have to live, who depends on me, how much I value the violinist... etc #2 No, are the people of equal value to me? Is the situation certain? Both of these would effect my decision a great deal, but I admit I will be more likely to pull the switch if more people are saved per life. #3 No, for the same reasons #4 I would blow up Big Jack, but if I was Big Jack I wouldn't want to be blown up. What can I say, I value my life a lot more. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Say you were in a plane that was crashing. The plane is headed straight towards downtown Manhattan and will kill tons of people. However, if you can alter the plane's course, you can land in New Jersey and kill a lot fewer people (but still not zero people). (Imagine for this experiment that you don't have the option of crashing into the water.) What do you do? O.K. now I'm the pilot I pick the best case scenario.. I got us into this situation I pick the best scenario... http://www.mapquest.com/maps/map.adp?searchtype=address&country=US&addtohistory=&searchtab=home&formtype=address&popflag=0&latitude=&longitude=&name=&phone=&level=&cat=&address=&city=manhattan&state=NY&zipcode= I try and land in the Hudson River or the East River (How can I hit Manhattan but not hit them? I try to land on 495 or Long Island Expressway. I try and land in Central Park Then whatever happens happens... If I'm a passenger I keep my fat ass in my seat... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mass_SkinsFan Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 :rotflmao:Remind me never to pick up a violin around Mass. :laugh: Cute. Actually I played the violin for about five years when I was in school. I won't say that I played it well, but I did play the instrument. That's probably part of the reason that I'd let the guy die. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shallow1 Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 1. OK, for 9 months if someone brought me food, there was TV and a interenet connection and I did not have to get out of bed to go to the bathroom, IM IN!! Thats a dream life for me!! Besides, all the violinists I have seen lately are hot chicks...so odds are.... 2. Ussually if theres a switch around I will flip it.....so out of habit, the ones a pancake. 3. I would definitly push the fat guy, it would make for such a great story to tell my grandchildren someday,... "I saved a bunch of lives that day kids, but I will never forget the look on that fat guys face, and you shouldn't either." or some BS like that.... 4. It makes sense to let the dynomite blow thus killing Big Jack, he comes out looking like a hero, Im alive, his family saves money on an over-sized coffin, and I have another great story for the grandchildren..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
webnarc Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 1) I would stay ONLY if I was paid for it. I don't have any obligation and frankly, kidnapping me to save another is worse than me letting the violinist die. 2) Flip the switch and take up drinking, heavily. 3) I let the five die. There's something about throwing a switch that is qualitatively different than pushing someone to their death. 4) The man is going to be blown to pieces because I'm not going to die. The bonus question: I'd try and crash into a less populated area, knowing that many in New York are soulless liberals who don't really deserve to live . Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Om Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 #1 - Violinist ends up dead#2 - 5 people end up dead #3 - 5 people end up dead #4 - Big Jack ends up spread all over the countryside. Yes, I place little to no value on human life that isn't my own. You're trying too hard. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mass_SkinsFan Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 You're trying too hard. I'm not sure what you're getting at Om. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Om Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 I'm not sure what you're getting at Om. I think you know. If not, my apologies. Just a shot in the dark. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mass_SkinsFan Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 I think you know. If not, my apologies. Just a shot in the dark. Sorry, I've got no idea what you're talking about. No apology necessary though. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EersSkins05 Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 1) I do it if I'm getting paid. Otherwise, sorry, buddy. 2) Flip the switch- I know I'll save 4 lives. 3) Don't push the fat guy- you don't know if it will work anyway. 4) Don't blow fat man out of the cave. Try to find some other way. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinFaninOKC Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Some good responses here.I have another hypothetical for those who said that they wouldn't flip the switch on the trolley car because those people were "fated" to die or because it would make you a murderer. Say you were in a plane that was crashing. The plane is headed straight towards downtown Manhattan and will kill tons of people. However, if you can alter the plane's course, you can land in New Jersey and kill a lot fewer people (but still not zero people). (Imagine for this experiment that you don't have the option of crashing into the water.) What do you do? If I could alter course I am headed for the Meadowlands. Maybe I hit Giants Stadium. New York can now get a new stadium. Since someone has to die I guess the stadium janitor just happens to be in the area I crash the plane. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mass_SkinsFan Posted May 9, 2006 Share Posted May 9, 2006 Say you were in a plane that was crashing. The plane is headed straight towards downtown Manhattan and will kill tons of people. However, if you can alter the plane's course, you can land in New Jersey and kill a lot fewer people (but still not zero people). (Imagine for this experiment that you don't have the option of crashing into the water.)What do you do? Put it down in Manhattan. Let it take out whoever it may. Realizing that I have a younger brother who lives in Manhattan. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney B Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 The abortion paralell is faulty in that a choice was made to engage in sex and the restrictions in a normal pregnancy would be much less of a hardship. Not only that, but pregnant women are not essentially chained to a bed for nine months. Nor can a fetus, as far as I'm aware, play the violin - too difficult. You might possibly start them off on the ukelele... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Not only that, but pregnant women are not essentially chained to a bed for nine months. Nor can a fetus, as far as I'm aware, play the violin - too difficult. You might possibly start them off on the ukelele... Its the recorder first..... that damn recorder..... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Some good responses here.I have another hypothetical for those who said that they wouldn't flip the switch on the trolley car because those people were "fated" to die or because it would make you a murderer. Say you were in a plane that was crashing. The plane is headed straight towards downtown Manhattan and will kill tons of people. However, if you can alter the plane's course, you can land in New Jersey and kill a lot fewer people (but still not zero people). (Imagine for this experiment that you don't have the option of crashing into the water.) What do you do? i opt to crash it into any theatre playing "gigli", no casualties for sure. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PokerPacker Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Its the recorder first.....that damn recorder..... i hated the f***ing recorder! i already knew two instruments that sounded much better and took much more skill by the time they had us playing those plastic pieces of ****. i would get bored (because almost everone else sucked) and start playing it through my nose. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gigantor Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Not only that, but pregnant women are not essentially chained to a bed for nine months. Nor can a fetus, as far as I'm aware, play the violin - too difficult. You might possibly start them off on the ukelele... also, a violinist already lived for a period of time, whereas a fetus hasn't had the chance yet. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barney B Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Say you were in a plane that was crashing. The plane is headed straight towards downtown Manhattan and will kill tons of people. However, if you can alter the plane's course, you can land in New Jersey and kill a lot fewer people (but still not zero people). (Imagine for this experiment that you don't have the option of crashing into the water.)What do you do? You head for Jersey, of course. First, for the obvious reason that any number of lives you can save, on the balance, are worth any amount of effort expended, and second, because those people in New Jersey are much more likely to be looking forward to death. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dreamingwolf Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 I would let a fetus or a violinist die if it didnt cost me any money, my abortion and musical taste contribution Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RLeVan Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 1. No, I am not obligated to stay connected based on free will. Any man/woman still can make choices on their own. Personally, I would becuase of what the violinist could contribute to society. Thomsons theory is bunk, because it assumes the only person you would ever be hooked up to could never kill you in the process when in fact childbirth can kill the mother. 2.Since all live's cannot be saved, flip the switch and save the most you can. 3.Based on 2, the fat man still saves 5 lives regardless of his weight. These are really loaded questions. Replace fat man with cow and animal lovers would go ape-s**t. 4.Definitely blast Big Jack out to save the rest. However, by no way do I think that the good of the many outways the good of the few should be an automatic response. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neerajk4 Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 chuck norris would roundhouse kick the fat man out of the hole, and then stick the dynamite up his ass. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaddogCT Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 #4. Why not use the dynamite on the hole BEFORE Big Jack climbs up? :logo: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SkinnedAussie Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Considering I'm a fat guy who plays the violin, and I explore caves as a hobby, you people have a lot of explaining to do! However, re: Q2. It is more likely that in a group of five people, it's possible that at least one is a Cowgirls fan, so I'll be leaving the switch well alone. re: Q3. Next to you, a fat man is standing on the very edge of the bridge. He would certainly block the trolley, although he would undoubtedly die from the impact. Anyone that size wouldn't be outside anyway. They'd be trussed up with their buckets of fried chicken watching Jerry Springer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaron Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 #1. I have no obligation to stay connected to someone that I did not voluntarily chose to help. I agree with the other responses, in that I'd negotiate to see what staying connected is worth, and if nothing materializes, I'm outta there. #2/3 Take a deep breath and yell, "Get the **** off the trolley tracks!" as loud as I possibly can. Seriously..... I would flip the switch, but would not push the fat man. #4 Big Jack would get smoked, but it wouldn't be until the last possible minute. Hopefully the four of us could figure something out in the mean time. Drowning would be a terrible way to go.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Thiebear Posted May 10, 2006 Share Posted May 10, 2006 Trolleys do what? 11 maybe 12 miles an hour? it'd be like getting hit by a golf cart.. Thats why most people stand next to it and just jump on... You need better examples... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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