Question

Suppose you are driving a subway train. The train rounds a bend, and you see four workers who are repairing the track about 50 yards away. You must stop the train if you are to avoid running the four men down. You step on the brakes, but they don't work. Now, you suddenly see a bit of track leading off to the left. You can turn the train onto it and save the four men. However, there is one person working on that track. You will kill him if you turn the train onto that track.

What should you do? Write a few paragraphs describing the most ethical response to this situation, in your opinion. You may approach the problem from many different ethical angles or use one ethical theory that you believe would result in the “right” solution. Once you have come up with a solution, discuss a few alternatives that make this decision harder or easier to make.

Answer 1

The most ethical response would be to turn the train onto the track with one person to save the four workers based on utilitarianism. However, alternative perspectives such as deontology and virtue ethics may create more complexities in making the decision.

Step-by-step explanation:

The most ethical response to this situation, in my opinion, would be to turn the train onto the track with the one person working, in order to save the four workers repairing the main track. This is based on the principle of utilitarianism, which focuses on maximizing overall happiness or utility. By turning the train onto the track with one person, you minimize the overall harm caused since fewer lives would be lost.

However, there are alternative perspectives that can make this decision harder or easier to make. For example, from a deontological perspective, which emphasizes following moral rules and duties, it may be seen as wrong to intentionally cause harm to one person to save others. Another alternative is the virtue ethics approach, which focuses on developing virtuous character traits. In this case, a virtuous person might prioritize the safety and well-being of all individuals involved and try to find an alternative solution to avoid harm altogether.

Ultimately, the ethical response to this situation may vary depending on the ethical theory or framework one applies, as well as personal values and beliefs.