Philosophyspeaking topic
The trolley problem: is it right to pull the lever and sacrifice one person to save five? Why does actively killing one feel heavier than standing by while five die?
— Philippa Foot, trolley problem
practice with this topic
Set the timer (5-30 min), take 20 seconds of prep if you like, start talking. Jot your thoughts onto the sticky-note board.
similar topics
- What do you think happens after we die?
- I know that I know nothing.
- The ancient Greeks had a word, amathia, for intelligent stupidity, a refusal to understand. It may explain why smart people believe and do terrible things.
- The footbridge variation: pushing a large man off a bridge to stop the trolley saves the same five lives, so why does it feel morally different from pulling the lever? If the outcome is identical, what do intention and physical contact change?
- Many of the choices we agonize over are options that never really existed.