The Trolley Problem is a Bad Thought Experiment
Why your answer to the problem is not important but your reaction is
Would you kill one person to save five?
The trolley problem in moral philosophy has gained unbelievable popularity from its humble start in academic philosophy. It is used in common parlance, as a meme, and is even a video game. Furthermore, with the invention of self-driving cars, the problem has taken on some very real world applications.
Yet, while amateur and professional philosophers alike have thought and argued about which choice is the morally right thing to do, your choice is actually not that important.
In fact, I would go to far as to say that while the trolley problem helps make important moral distinctions, a solution does little to help us better understand ethics.
What is important is your initial reaction to the problem and this initial reaction should be the focus of our discussions rather than our choice.
Let me explain.
What is the Trolley Problem
The trolley problem was first proposed by Philippa Foot in 1967 in the Oxford Review. Originally proposed as a thought experiment for moral issues surrounding abortion…
