Transcript ethical reasoning trolley and definitions

Of Ethics and Trolleys
Ethics
• How do YOU define ethics?
• How would you explain your own
approach to ethical reasoning?
• (Write down your answers, we’ll
return to this.)
The Trolley Problem
The Trolley Problem
A trolley is speeding down a track and cannot be
stopped. In its path are five people who have
been tied to the track. You have the option to
flip a switch and lead the trolley down a
different track, avoiding the five people.
However, the second track has one person tied to
it.
Should you flip the switch?
[After discussion, students write down their
choice and their reasons, along with any
additional information that would help
them make a decision.]
The Trolley Problem #2
A trolley is running down a track and cannot be
stopped. In its path are five people who have
been tied to the track. You are on a bridge
where the trolley will pass, and the only way to
stop it is to throw something heavy in front of
the trolley. The only heavy object around you
is a large man walking by, so the only way to
save the five people is to push the man off of
the bridge and in front of the trolley.
Should you push him?
[After discussion, students write down their
choice and their reasons, along with any
additional information that would help
them make a decision.]
Five Approaches
•
•
•
•
•
Utilitarian
Rights
Fairness (Justice)
Common Good
Virtue
[As we go through these approaches, think
about which approach resembles the
reasons you chose for the decisions you
made, or the questions you had.]
The Utilitarian Approach
• The morally right course of action in any
situation is the one that produces the greatest
balance of benefits over harms for everyone
affected.
• The right action is whatever produces “the
greatest good for the greatest number.” –
Jeremy Bentham
The Rights Approach
• The morally right course of action is one that
respects the basic rights of each of the
individuals involved.
The Fairness Approach
• The morally right course of action is one that
gives whomever what they deserve.
• In evaluating any moral decision, we must ask
whether our actions treat all persons equally. If
not, we must determine whether the difference in
treatment is justified.
The Common Good Approach
• The morally right course of action is one that is
accordance with the common good of society.
The Virtue Approach
• The morally right course of action is one that
corresponds to how a wholly virtuous person
would act.
• The fundamental question of ethics is not "What
should I do?" but "What kind of person should I
be?“
• Did your answers to the Trolley questions
reflect a particular ethical framework?
• Did you stay consistent to a particular
framework?
• Is it necessary to have a consistent
framework for ethical reasoning? Why or
why not?