Michael Munger on How Adam Smith Solved the Trolley Problem
Sep 18, 2023
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Michael Munger, a professor at Duke University and host of "The Answer is Transaction Costs," dives into the philosophical depths of the trolley problem, connecting it to Adam Smith's insights. Munger discusses how Smith's ideas challenge conventional views on empathy and self-interest. The conversation touches on effective altruism, the moral implications from historical events, and the disconnect in our emotional responses to distant tragedies. They explore how context shapes our moral choices and the complexities of ethical decision-making.
Adam Smith's moral agency framework can help us understand our different reactions in moral dilemmas like the trolley problem.
Capitalism, as part of a broader social context, can promote empathy, reciprocity, and the pursuit of mutual gain.
Our individual choices, guided by reason and conscience, determine whether we prioritize self-interest or act in ways that benefit both ourselves and others.
Deep dives
The puzzle of caring more about our own well-being than others
Adam Smith poses the puzzle of why we care more about our own well-being, such as losing a finger, than the well-being of others, even if it involves the loss of many lives. Smith acknowledges that we are naturally inclined to prioritize our self-interests and be less concerned about the suffering of distant others. However, he argues that acting on this inclination and causing harm to others in order to benefit ourselves goes against our conscience and our sense of propriety. Smith suggests that our capacity for moral agency, guided by reason, principle, and an impartial spectator, leads us to value not just being loved, but being lovely. That is, earning the respect, admiration, and praise of others by acting in ways that are deemed noble and moral.
The role of capitalism and the commercial society
Smith's view on capitalism and the commercial society is that they do not coarsen us or promote selfishness. Rather, they provide a context for us to cultivate social relations and develop habits of acting in ways that are considerate of others. Smith believes that capitalism encourages us to consider the needs and desires of others so that we can better satisfy them through the division of labor. He argues that our pursuit of our own interests can coexist with our concern for the interests of others, leading to a society that is based on the principles of reciprocity, trade, and mutual benefit.
How Smith's solution relates to the trolley problem
While Smith's analysis does not directly address the trolley problem, it provides a philosophical framework that can be applied to understand our different reactions in different scenarios. Smith suggests that the difference lies in our moral agency and the distinction between allowing harm and causing harm. In the trolley problem, we may feel more inclined to allow harm to occur (doing nothing) rather than actively causing harm by pulling a lever. This distinction arises from the recognition that our actions have consequences, and actively causing harm violates our sense of morality and empathy for others.
The challenge of balancing self-interest and concern for others
Smith acknowledges that we naturally prioritize our own well-being and self-interest. However, he argues that through reason, conscience, and the cultivation of moral sentiments, we can develop the ability to act in ways that consider the interests and well-being of others. Smith's view is that capitalism, as part of a broader social context, can provide opportunities for empathy, reciprocity, and the pursuit of mutual gain, ultimately leading to a society that balances self-interest with a genuine concern for the well-being of others.
The importance of social relationships and moral agency
Smith emphasizes the significance of social relationships and the cultivation of moral agency in shaping our behavior towards others. He highlights that our ability to empathize and consider the well-being of others is a fundamental aspect of being a moral person. While capitalism and the commercial society can provide opportunities to foster these qualities, it is our individual choices, guided by reason and conscience, that ultimately determine whether we prioritize self-interest or act in ways that benefit both ourselves and others.
In the original version of a now classic thought experiment, five people are about to be killed by a runaway trolley. Would you divert the trolley knowing that your choice will kill a single innocent bystander? Listen as Michael Munger of Duke University argues that Adam Smith gave an answer to this challenge a few hundred years before it was proposed by the philosopher Philippa Foot and brought vividly to life in the miniseries, The Good Place. Along the way, Munger and EconTalk's Russ Roberts discuss effective altruism, the moral claims of Peter Singer, what the trolley problem really tells us, if anything, and how our moral choices differ according to context.
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