Moral or not? You decide

[buckaroo]

I heard a very interesting professor today on the radio talking about how they believe that certain moralities are inborn in humans and thus, it isn't just a learned thing. Anyway, he gave three different scenarios where the outcome is exactly the same, but people don't look at it the same way.

You are standing in the street in San Francisco and you see a runaway trolley car barrelling down the street, heading towards five people who are unaware of what is heading their way. You have the ability to throw a switch which is by you to move the trolley car onto another line where there is only one man standing there. You know that if you allow the trolley car to proceed as it is, five people will be killed. If you throw the switch however, only one person will be killed. Is it moral to throw the switch to save five people for the sacrifice of one?

In that scenario, the studies find that most people agree that it is indeed moral to save five people for the life of one person.

Next scenario...same situation, but instead of having a switch close by, you are able to grab a very huge man who is close and throwing him in front of the trolley car, you will kill him, but again you will save the five people.

Here, most people in the study said that this wasn't moral. The difference here is that in the first case, you aren't actually touching the person who ends up dead.

Last scenario...you are a doctor in the emergency room. They bring in five people and tell you that if they don't have organ transplants soon, they will die. All of different organs that need to be replaced. In walks a very healthy man. Would you kill that man to give the five the organs they need to live?

Here, almost everyone said that was a no no, yet it too had the very same results as the first scenario.

Then they turned the tables and started off with the last scenario and moved to the first. As you can imagine the results were not the same.

So, what is moral and what isn't?

 

[barelypure]

In your 1st scenario most people would stand by with their camcorder and then sell the film to the highest bidder.
In the 2nd scenario most people wouldn't throw the man in front of the trolley as they wouldn't want to get involved.
In the 3rd unless we change as a Society there want be organ farms and that is the only solution to this problem.
These hypotheticals mean little as you don't know how you would respond in a situation as this. I suspect a lot would freeze. Some would throw themselves onto the trolley to try and stop it. Others would just start screaming.

 

[kat2220]

In your 1st scenario most people would stand by with their camcorder and then sell the film to the highest bidder.
In the 2nd scenario most people wouldn't throw the man in front of the trolley as they wouldn't want to get involved.
In the 3rd unless we change as a Society there want be organ farms and that is the only solution to this problem.
These hypotheticals mean little as you don't know how you would respond in a situation as this. I suspect a lot would freeze. Some would throw themselves onto the trolley to try and stop it. Others would just start screaming.

BP, I like your answer!
Plain and simple, I wasn't there, was not a bystander, so can't even hypothesize.
IF is one of the most powerful words no matter what language it's translated into.
My GUT tells me to call 911 but there are some few that I would risk MY life for and they are my Hubby, Children Step-Daughter and grandchildren.
I am proud to say that I was a Lifeguard at a local beach as a teen and rescued 3 from drowning. I'M NO HERO, but we need to honor and respect all those who are, including Police, Firefighters, EMTs, Military, and animals as well as youngsters who perform heroic deeds.

 

[barelypure]

I am proud to say that I was a Lifeguard at a local beach as a teen...

That's good but you are not of this generation. I'm afraid that here in NC our lifeguards on the beaches during the summer are Eastern Europeans. Hundereds of thousands of Russian, Czechs, Poles, etc. descend on the Crystal Coast to take jobs our own youth wouldn't stoop to do. They come over on a 4 month visa and are able to earn enough money to pay for their trip and have enough money to pay for their schooling for the year once they return home.
We constantly hear that the hispanics do the jobs Americans don't want to do. (As a side note my housekeeper is Hispanic). We as a People have lost something. Will we look back at this generation as a turning point in our history.
Maybe I should take this to the Podium...