Theory & Philosophy The Trolley Problem | Judith Jarvis Thomson | Keyword
May 2, 2024
Guest Judith Jarvis Thomson, a philosopher known for the Trolley Problem, discusses moral dilemmas, including culpability, torture justifications, and abortion rights. The podcast explores biases in philosophy representation and the importance of recognizing women's contributions in ethical discourse.
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Credit Philosophical Contributions Fairly
- Name and credit philosophical ideas accurately, including contributions by women like Foot and Thomson.
- Question why famous problems are often attributed to men rather than their actual female authors.
Classic Five-vs-One Trolley Scenario
- The classic trolley setup: a runaway train will kill five unless you pull a lever to divert it to a track with one person.
- Pulling the lever thus actively causes one death while inaction allows five to die.
Outcomes Aren't The Same As Moral Responsibility
- The trolley problem forces us to separate better outcomes from moral responsibility and culpability.
- Pulling a lever to save five at the cost of one changes who is morally accountable even if lives are minimized.