Morality Play

[VMS]

Ok, nobody on the Current Events board will touch this question, but I want to see how people would actually react to it when separated from a political topic.

Simple scenario: You're in the control booth of a train yard. There's a train coming with 100 people on board, and if you do nothing that train will crash and everyone on board will die. If you press this big red button in front of you, the train will divert and everyone on board will live, but the train will run over and kill an innocent child.

Do you press the big red button?

Is "passive" murder (ie- doing nothing and 100 people die, when the power to do something was right at your fingertips) weigh more or less on your soul/conscience than "active" murder (ie- killing that child in order to save the 100 lives)?

[EarthCrisis]

What race is the child?


heh.

[WhiskeyWhispers]

Any way you can work it out so everyone dies? I choose that option.

[EarthCrisis]

I'd probably save the 100 people then shoot myself because I let a little kid die. I don't think i'd be able to handle living with either decision to be honest.

[WhiskeyWhispers]

I'd probably save the 100 people then shoot myself because I let a little kid die. I don't think i'd be able to handle living with either decision to be honest.

If you really think about it, a baby is nothing more than an asshole that's not ripe yet.

[LiddyRules]

If you really think about it, a baby is nothing more than an asshole that's not ripe yet. Give me a shot at it.

I wouldn't push the button because I don't care either way.

[Edible Napalm]

I'd push it, the little fuck shouldn't have been playing on train tacks anyways.

[Chino Kapone]

I'd push it, the little fuck shouldn't have been playing on train tacks anyways.

Ding ding ding!! We have a winner.

Kid should have known better.

[jimmyslostchin]

Push the button, yes it's pretty much a lose lose situation, but one grieving family is better than 100 grieving families.

[Zona992006]

What race is the child?


heh.

Probably the single most important question ever....

[Bud8Weiser]

I'd push it, the little fuck shouldn't have been playing on train tacks anyways.

Brilliant. :clap:

I would push the button. 100 to 1. Seems pretty simple to me.

[DeltaPin]

Let the train crash & shoot the kid.



No witnesses.

[EarthCrisis]

probably the single most important question ever....

like zomg!!!!!1 i know kill whitey right?!?

[SwimConnerSwim]

Your asking a moral question on Wackbag?

[MrBogey]

Depends on my mood.

Seriously. If I'm up for passive murder I'll do it. If I have to actively murder some people to save a kid....maybe. It's not something I can declare in advance.

[Warfarer]

100 to 1 is a no brainer, unless it is a train full of prison transfers.

[VMS]

100 to 1 is a no brainer, unless it is a train full of prison transfers.

That's the next level of questions, but we'll leave that out for now. 100 regular folks, including some kids just on random chance.

[TheDrip]

Button.

If the kid is under 8 the parents can start over and not that big of a set-back

[roche]

I want a option where the kid still dies if I don't press the button.

[Stig]

Do I get to watch it hit the kid?

Just wondering...

[Arc Lite]

Chances are there is a child on the train so it would seem logical to push the big red button. I'd like to think I would be able to do it but probably would not be able to react or decide quickly enough and the 100 people would die.

[THE FEZ MAN]

Kobayashi Maru

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobayashi_Maru

your a hack


i chose push the button because there was no "fix the test option" or "cheat"

which is my preferred way of thinking

[VMS]

Kobayashi Maru

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobayashi_Maru

your a hack

Actually, I stole it word-for-word from my old Philosophy of Morality and Justice class at Tech. The one that Michael Vick failed, and helped speed his entrance into the NFL (not that the #1 overall pick wouldn't have pushed him there anyway).

[bucket-of-aids]

I'd go out and kick the baby to death, right in the soft spot, before the train even got there. Then push the red button.

[THE FEZ MAN]

Actually, I stole it word-for-word from my old Philosophy of Morality and Justice class at Tech. The one that Michael Vick failed, and helped speed his entrance into the NFL (not that the #1 overall pick wouldn't have pushed him there anyway).


oh come on, we all know they stole it from Kahn

[Lunchbox420]

Wasnt this question posed on Ron&Fez a few moths ago?

[VMS]

Wasnt this question posed on Ron&Fez a few moths ago?

With as much navel-gazing as they do on that show, I wouldn't be surprised. But I didn't hear it.

I think the Ron & Fez show is great in its own quirky, interesting way, but the "what's Dave's relationship with Earl/Earl's relationship with Lilly/Lilly's relationship with Fez/Fez's relationship with Ronnie/etc/etc/etc" thing doesn't work for me.

They do a lot of navel-gazing stuff, which is great, but they seem to do it strictly for the sake of navel-gazing.

[abudabit]

Is the kid hot?

[Plunkies]

Don't hit the button and then in the ensuing chaos strangle the child to death. No one would suspect murder in the middle of a train crash. Then I'd find some way to turn them all into zombies to devour humanity...I knew my travel sized Necronomicon would come in handy some day.

[Absolutely]

If both the kid and the train is strangers, I push the button.
But say the kid on the tracks is a nephew or a niece, not really the question..., but then I guess I'd crash the train.

[lokimanahan]

Easy: the child dies. I hate fucking kids anyway; them and their sticky hands and drool. Fuck 'em.

[distortion9]

I once heard that when a plane crashes, it directly affects the lives of 50,000 people....something like that.

Anyway, the kid dies.

[BloodyDiaper]

Sorry kid - the Lady Di's Husband Express is coming your way...

[WoodenPlank]

Dead kid.

[Hoagie]

Can I fuck the kid before I press the button?

[Sam_Adams]

Is "passive" murder (ie- doing nothing and 100 people die, when the power to do something was right at your fingertips) weigh more or less on your soul/conscience than "active" murder (ie- killing that child in order to save the 100 lives)?

It's not passive murder because I didn't set the event into place. Murder means that you have intent to kill. You can't be held responsible for things you had no involvment in.

And how do we know the child is innocent? Maybe he's a little piece of shit that burned down his neighbor's house the day before because the neighbor had yelled at him for letting the dog shit in his yard.

I wouldn't do a fucking thing. Let the train crash and have 100 people die. It's something that will never happen because I don't hang around train stations.

After they crashed I'd go buy myself a fucking ice cream cup from Baskin Robbins.

[Stormrider666]

I press the button. I will not feel good about letting an innocent child die, but letting 100 people die, isn't any better either.

[SatansCheerledr]

I’m sure there is a perfectly rational explanation for whoever you choose to kill.

[Chino Kapone]

Don't hit the button and then in the ensuing chaos strangle the child to death. No one would suspect murder in the middle of a train crash. Then I'd find some way to turn them all into zombies to devour humanity...I knew my travel sized Necronomicon would come in handy some day.

Klaatu. .. Verada. .. Necktie...Nectar...Nickel...It's an "N" word, it's definitely an "N" word.....

[ddberry]

Ok, nobody on the Current Events board will touch this question, but I want to see how people would actually react to it when separated from a political topic.

Simple scenario: You're in the control booth of a train yard. There's a train coming with 100 people on board, and if you do nothing that train will crash and everyone on board will die. If you press this big red button in front of you, the train will divert and everyone on board will live, but the train will run over and kill an innocent child.

Do you press the big red button?

Is "passive" murder (ie- doing nothing and 100 people die, when the power to do something was right at your fingertips) weigh more or less on your soul/conscience than "active" murder (ie- killing that child in order to save the 100 lives)?

There's a second part to this age old question. Same scenario, but instead of pushing the button, you have to push the child to his death to save the 100...do you?

[WoodenPlank]

Klaatu. .. Verada. .. Necktie...Nectar...Nickel...It's an "N" word, it's definitely an "N" word.....
Klatuu...Verada...Ni*coughcoughcough*
Ok, thats it! I said the words!

[jackjack]

Does anyone know the psychology behind the interpretation of the answers people give?
Seems like a ridiculous question, because it requires knowing future events to be plausible.
Since neither answer has any real-word relevance, I wonder if it's just a game or if therapists try to make anything of it

[SatansCheerledr]

Does anyone know the psychology behind the interpretation of the answers people give?
Seems like a ridiculous question, because it requires knowing future events to be plausible.
Since neither answer has any real-word relevance, I wonder if it's just a game or if therapists try to make anything of it

You can't ascertain diagnostic impressions from this question but you could gain useful information regarding the patient’s justification for their choice.

[ddberry]

Does anyone know the psychology behind the interpretation of the answers people give?
Seems like a ridiculous question, because it requires knowing future events to be plausible.
Since neither answer has any real-word relevance, I wonder if it's just a game or if therapists try to make anything of it

The point of the study that I heard regarding the situation was to try to determine if morality was learned or instinctive. They put forth the scenario of flipping a lever, killing one to save five or pushing one person to save five. Nine out of ten people answered yes to pushing the lever and no to pushing the person. The same study also asked people while monitoring their brain activity and each time when they asked the questions, the lever question sparked activity in a different part of the brain than the person question, so the answers came from different parts of the brain, supporting (but not proving, not enough data) the theory that morality can be instinctive, and in my opinion proving that some people have way too much time on their hands.

edit:here's a link to the show that covered the study. (I disagree with their use of murder, I think they should have used homicide since murder is a legal term and this was technically a clinical study):

http://www.wnyc.org/shows/radiolab/episodes/2006/04/28

[Jimmy's Dignity]

Fuck the one useless child on the tracks...there's nothing to tell you that the train itself isn't full of 100 children

[Zona992006]

Kobayashi Maru

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kobayashi_Maru

your a hack


i chose push the button because there was no "fix the test option" or "cheat"

which is my preferred way of thinking

Kirk beat it..(he cheated)

[THE FEZ MAN]

Kirk beat it..(he cheated)


well no shit :icon_roll

[d0uche_n0zzle]

Fuck the one useless child on the tracks...there's nothing to tell you that the train itself isn't full of 100 children

The one kid on the tracks is a waterhead, and the train is loaded with junior Mensa kids.

Is that easier for you?