MSLD634.1.5.RB.MELISSA BURNS

MSLD634.1.5.RB.MELISSA BURNS

How shall we live, as individuals in the face of decisions about right versus wrong? How shall we handle those occasions when none of the choices are attractive? Consider the following ethical dilemma and create a reflection blog regarding what you would do when having to make a choice in each train scenario. Justify your position and create a synopsis of your position and the implications. 

Scenario One

A train is hurtling down the track where five children are standing. You are the switch person. By throwing the switch, you can put the train on a sidetrack where one child is standing. 

Will you throw the switch? 

When considering the ethical implications, I have to look at the outcomes and whether or not it is ethical to involve myself in the scenario. From the utilitarianism perspective, I have to consider which alternative would have the best overall consequences and this would implore me, ethically, to throw the switch sacrificing one life to save 5 lives (LaFollette,2007).  This is a consequentialism point of view in which I am weighing the consequences of the two scenarios and the choice to throw the switch or to take no action at all.  An alternate view might be that, by throwing the switch, I am now involving myself in a series of events that are already occurring by making the choice I am now directly involved in the death of the one child despite having saved the other 5.  In this scenario, yes, I believe I would throw the switch to save the 5 children.          

In this scenario I have chosen to follow consequentialism.  

Scenario Two

Same scenario except: 

You are standing next to an elderly man. If you push him in front of the train it will stop the train and all the children will be saved. 

Will you push him? 

This is interesting because it is the same dilemma, however; rather than killing the one person by throwing a switch and feeling one step removed from the equation, I would now be laying my hands directly onto another human being and murdering him by throwing him in front of the tracks to save the five children.  This is a human issue and no, I would not be able to push this man in front of the train to safe the 5 children.  

In this scenario I have chosen to follow deontology and the moral act of pushing the person draws the hard line of breaking a moral rule.  

Scenario Three

Same scenario except:
The one child on the sidetrack is your child. 

Will you throw the switch to save the five children? 

            This is the easiest of the three scenarios and as a mother I would do anything to save my children.  I would definitely not throw the switch.  I would save my child no matter what and hope that the other kids hear the train coming and get out of the way before it hits them.  Yes, this is a more selfish decision and probably not the correct ethical decision, but it is the decision that I believe any mother would make. 

    In this scenario, while the choice is the same as I made when considering scenario two and going with the theory of deontology, this choice is a more selfish version of consequentialism.  The difference here, is that rather than considering the overall consequences for everyone involved, I am making the decision based on the consequences to myself and my family personally.   

References

LaFollette, H. (2007). The Practice of Ethics.  Malden, MA: Blackwell Pub.

Tolstoy, L., (2020).  How Then Shall We Live?  A Classic Ethical Dilemma.  The Train Dilemma.  Retrieved from https://erau.instructure.com/courses/113758/files/22241892/download?wrap=1

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