Psychological experiment

By joining our community you will have the ability to post topics and access other forums reserved for members. Registration is quick, simple and absolutely free. Join our community today by clicking here.

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:20 pm

Having thought about this for a while, and to take the questions simply on face value without worrying about 'could this really happen or not', just accepting it as an ethical dilemma, I decided:

I would try to save the greatest number of people. I could turn the switch in order to do that. But I don't think I could actively push someone over the railing. Confused

HH wrote:

Save the girl with the biggest T....

Thanks for saving me! Laughing

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 7:50 pm

^^ You would be thrown from the bridge even if no train was coming.

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:00 pm

^^^

That puts the ol' salt in the wound! YIKES!

How 'bout this:

Upon seeing the train hurtling down the tracks a decison had to be made. Switch the track one way kill a single traveller on that track, or swicth the other and kill 5 people all on that track! What to do!

Then I saw a shiny quarter on the ground.......

Baiting Guru Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 2628

I'm so indecisive that I dont know if I'd throw the switch
then of course I may
but again maybe not
but what if I tripped on the way there

I still think that going to the switch is going to put me in danger so I'll leave it to karma
unless of course my heaving bosom attracts the attention of say the engine driver who will stop to help

THATs the answer
Strip naked and the train driver will obviously stop

Works for scenario 2 also.
I strip naked the big guy has heart attack, falls over side

simples

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:09 pm

^^^

Now that is thinking out of the box!!! Laughing

Posted: Thu Aug 06, 2009 8:49 pm

As the sick f*** that I am, flipping the switch and pushing the fat guy doesn't seem that different to me. At least not when I'm sitting comfortably in front of the computer, as both can be justified (because you safe four other people).

How I would have reacted in reality could be a totally different answer, and for those who say "save the 4", I think that it could change for if you were actually standing in front of that choice. Being inactive is always "comfier" as you don't kill anyone through you actions.

I also think that if you look deep in yourself, you will find the little voice that says "I'll pick the one that I can most easily justify to myself and will benefit me the most". What I mean is that even though you could save 4 people, if it would mean that you committed murder and would be prosecuted thereafter, your decision could change.

In my case, the "what happens to me?" question is always the first question that springs to mind. If that makes me an egoistic a**hole, then so be it. I also think that is why I would have flipped the switch/pushed the fat guy, because It would make me like feel I did the best, along with the fact that the death of the one guy is justifiable to myself.