Introduction
Human beings face various unexpected emergencies in their everyday activities. The emergencies may tragically result in fatal injuries or even cases of death of a person or a group of people. In emergencies, many people think it is permissible to sacrifice one person to save a group of people from getting injured or dying from tragic, unexpected situations. Thus, it is essential to provide a solution that is optimal in a scene where people’s lives need to be saved.
First Situation
In the first trolley problem, where an empty runaway train is speeding toward five railroad workers, pulling the switch will redirect the train to the opposite track where there is only one railroad employee. In such an emergency, I would pull the switch to redirect the train to the opposite track with one railroad employee by applying utilitarianism. According to utilitarianism, the most moral decision is the one that produces the greatest good for the greatest number of people (Ethics Unwrapped, n.d.). Therefore, by applying the ethical theory, I would redirect the train to the opposite track with one person to achieve the greatest good for the most significant number of people. The action will save five railroad workers at the expense of the death of one railroad worker, which is the most remarkable outcome and good in the scenario.
Second Situation
The second trolley scenario involves an empty train speeding towards five railroad workers. One option is to push a tremendously fat man off a bridge above the train track. Due to the man’s size, he will be able to stop the train and save five railroad workers, but he will die in the process. In such a scenario, I would push the fat man to the railroad so as to save the other five railroad workers at the expense of the fat man by applying utilitarianism (Aktas et al., 303). In utilitarianism, I would push the fat mat to the railway line to stop the train from killing five people at the expense of the fat man’s death, hence achieving the most good for the largest number of people. However, the decision will torment my thoughts, resulting in a feeling of guilt.
Third Situation
The third scenario is where an empty train is heading toward five people who have been tied to the track. One option is to push a fat man to the rail track to stop the train. In addition, the fat man is responsible for tying up the five men on the track. In such a scenario, I would push the fat man to the railway line to stop the train and save five other people tied on the track. My decision will be based on personal values and the ethical theory of utilitarianism. My personal values, such as incorporating a tit-for-tat strategy and seeking justice, will majorly affect the decision to push the fat man. Tit for tat strategy involves retaliation such as paying well for good and bad for bad. Since the fat man was responsible for tying the five men on the rail, for implementing tit for tat, the moral decision is to push the man over the bridge to stop the train from crushing the five men. In an attempt to be just to the tied people, it is moral to push the fat man to the bridge to stop the train from killing the men since the fat man was responsible for tying the five people.
Fourth Situation
The fourth trolley problem is an empty train heading toward five railroad workers. There is an option of diverting the train to another track which will make the train run down the cliff, killing a man who is not associated with the railway company and destroying the man’s property. In the scenario, my course of action will be significantly influenced by utilitarianism. The ethical theory states that in ethical dilemmas, the ideal decision focuses on achieving the most significant benefit for the majority of people (Aktas et al., 297). Therefore, I would pull the switch and divert the train, which will run down the cliff and eventually kill the man and destroy the man’s property. The decision will result in saving the lives of five people. Despite the man not being associated with the railway company, a person’s life equals another.
Fifth Situation
In the trolley problem involving a train heading towards five hundred railroad workers. The scenario has an option of diverting the rain to another track with a single person who happens to be my sister. The choice of a decision in such a scenario would be difficult since it involves my relative. However, in such an emergency scenario, my decision would be significantly influenced by the ethical theory of utilitarianism (Aktas et al., 297). Therefore, rather than allowing the train to crash five hundred people, I would divert the train to the track where my relative. Despite the harsh consequence of the choice resulting in a personal loss, I would be driven by the value of selflessness and achieving a common and greater good of saving five hundred people.
Conclusion
Thus, in such unexpected tragic situations, it is imperative to sacrifice one person to save many people. When faced with trolley problem scenarios, my decision will be significantly influenced by the ethical theory of utilitarianism. My justification and arguments for applying utilitarianism in the trolley situations demonstrate my personal values include: selflessness, a fight for justice, and a focus on the common good of the majority of people.
Works Cited
Aktaş, Büşra, Onurcan Yilmaz, and Hasan Bahçekapili. “Moral Pluralism on The Trolley Tracks: Different Normative Principles are Used for Different Reasons in Justifying Moral Judgments.” Judgment and Decision Making, vol. 12, no. 3, 2017, pp. 297-307.
“Utilitarianism – Ethics Unwrapped.” Ethics Unwrapped, n.d.