There is a railroad track that is split into a fork. (see details)?

Question

There are six people tied to one track, and only on tied to the other track. If you were the driver of the train, and could not stop the train, what way would you steer the train? This is just one of many hard decisions we have to make in life.

Answer 1

You can't steer a train, just like you can't always control life. A train's direction is controlled by those unseen controllers that open and close switches.

Answer 2

Quite an interesting query.  Could also be posted in philosophy section of YA!  

But, so everyone is clear, that portion of your question reading "If.....and couldn't stop the train..." is NO supposition.  If I'm moving at any appreciable speed, if I can see you, it is already too late to stop for you.

Who am I to decide whom should live predicated on deservings??

All life is deserved, if not sacred, unless one chooses to sacrifice it for others or have it taken from them, more forfeited by them, because of intentional actions that result in the death of another, such as is the case when death is meted out as justice.

Therefore the only consideration is to save as much life as possible, which would cause a turn in direction toward the single person.

I'll leave it up to Higher authority to determine whether the action was deserved or not.  I would beg of that same authority that I never be in a position to have to make such a decision.

But you know, I'm not a theologian nor regular church goer, never been Baptized, but your question is actually demonstrative of Jesus on the cross.  Sacrifice of the one for the good of the many.  The same idea was demonstrated in the Star Trek movie, "Wrath of Khan" when Spock eats it for the crew.

It's an age old dilemma.

But, the more endowed one is with a sense of self sacrifice, the less selfish and the better the human being they are.

I give stars for safety related questions as well as interesting ones.  Yours is both, but I can only click once.

Answer 3

Kill the 6, need to do away will all stupid people.

Answer 4

Well if I could not stop the train, I'd have my brakeman do it because I KNOW he can.

Also, I noticed that I was passing by the penitentiary and so I know for a fact that the people on the tracks are felons  and the ONE guy is a good samaritan.   SO.....I hit the good samaritan, send him to heaven, leaving the felons going "THANK THE LORD" and they all become converted to a life of Good, help me bury the good samaritan and we all become close friends.

Answer 5

Decisions,  decisions!     I guess it depends on which track you are tied to,  I'm  steering that way.

Your silly question and name tells me you are most likely a liberal,  willing to tax my earnings away to give it to some one who doesn't want to work.   Believing that,  the decision is made for me.    

Save America,   stamp out liberalism!

Answer 6

The very same question was printed in a November/ December issue of Time Magazine, There is no correct or moral answer whom is to judge if one life is less important than four.

Answer 7

This is one of those philosophical questions revolving around the idea; if you were forced to do something horrible, how horrible would you make it?  Fortunately, our moral decisions are less complex than that.

Answer 8

Depends are the 6 men and the 1 a woman or vice versa? I'd aim for the men, no real use to me.

Answer 9

serious???

of course I would try to derail the train by switching it into a deadend track first and take my chances.

If that is not an option in your world, anyone would choose the option that takes less life than more

unless the one is a smoking hot babe

then i would have to think about it

and this really is NOT a decision I have to make, but oh well . . . . . it's your question.

Answer 10

It's a no-win question, because whatever course of action you take, someone is going to get killed.

People do face dilemmas like this, but only in extreme situations. A situation like that is highly improbable anyway. Why not ask a question that is a bit more grounded in actual experience?

Answer 11

I would not have to do anything, because Superman would fly down and save them all.  If you can ask stupid questions, then we can give you stupid answers.  Do your part and help fight poverty, buy giving away you computer.  Somebody else may use it for good (like looking for a job), instead of wasting our time.