????A tricky question????

Here is a good question

A train track splits into two. In lane one then are 5 people bound to the track, and on the other only one. The train is set to go and kill the 5 people (because you cannot stop the train or move the people). You have the control for that train, but you can only choose one track or the other. You cannot stop the train.

The saucy bit is that the five people are all scientists on the brink of finding the cure for cancer. The dude by himself on the track is a chav you have got 20 counts of dangerous driving and about a gazillion asbos.

Which track will you choose

p.s. you must state why

Reply 1

Glutamic Acid

17

Of course I'd kill the chav. I might even kill the chav if there was an option of saving them all.

Reply 2

HacklyFracture

The one with one person on - if I had to choose and there really was no other way they I'd choose to kill as few people as possible.

Wouldn't the question be more interesting though if it was between 1 brilliant scientist on the verge of making a cure for cancer and 5 other people? Then you'd have to think more (eg. the single scientist may save other people so even though immediately you kill less you might cause the deaths of many more indirectly).

Reply 3

=nuke=

11

I'll obviously go for the greater good and choose to run over the kid. The scientists are doing something productive in the present; the other one might never do a thing.

I would've gone for the single person anyway. :p:

Reply 4

=nuke=

11

Moon_Wolf

Wouldn't the question be more interesting though if it was between 1 brilliant scientist on the verge of making a cure for cancer and 5 other people? Then you'd have to think more (eg. the single scientist may save other people so even though immediately you kill less you might cause the deaths of many more indirectly).

Yeah, I thought that too and I wondered if they got it the wrong way round. :p:

Reply 5

Sandhu

2

The chav, of course. Why? Because they're a knob head.

Reply 6

Bobzilla

OP

I haven't got the scienctist and the chav the other way around. Think carefully about your decision.

Reply 7

=nuke=

11

If I'm honest, I don't think there's much to think about in this case.

Reply 8

DeadChicken

10

this is a trick question... there is no spoon... i mean train

Reply 9

Bobzilla

OP

what if the chav who has got all these asbos is on the brink of discovering the key to immortality.

ooooh

Reply 10

Glutamic Acid

17

Hypothetically, I wouldn't know. And if he said, I wouldn't believe him.

Reply 11

fly4fun

8

Chav..comeon, its hardly a tough question. i am against killing, but if it is unavoidable then saving the most lives must come top, and as those lives are 'more productive', it is an added bonus.

Reply 12

splooj

i think the tricky bit is supposed to be that if you kill the chav you're actively causing his death whereas if you kill the scientists your just like, an innocent bystander.

but i've heard better versions of that.

what if it was the scientists fault that they were on the track whereas the chav had been beaten up and thrown there (or something)?

Reply 13

InnocentEyes

10

I don't care how many spins you throw on this, the chav's dead already :p:

Reply 14

HacklyFracture

splooj

i think the tricky bit is supposed to be that if you kill the chav you're actively causing his death whereas if you kill the scientists your just like, an innocent bystander.

but i've heard better versions of that.

what if it was the scientists fault that they were on the track whereas the chav had been beaten up and thrown there (or something)?

I actually hadn't thought of that. I think my choice would still stand though and for the same reasons. Although I'd try my best to avoid any deaths.

Reply 15

nosnibor

Easily the chav - I don't buy this whole "active killing" idea. If you have the power to act and don't, then you still kill five people.

Although if actually in that situation I probably wouldn't do anything because fear would freeze me to the spot.