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You Haven’t Heard the Trolley Problem

I’ve loved every trolley-problem meme I’ve seen over the last few years, but they only cover part 1. Let me tell you the original, complete, trolley problem.

Part I

A train is heading towards 5 people tied to the railroad tracks. If you pull a lever, you can divert the train to another track, which just has one person on it. Do you pull the lever?

At this point, people speak for a long time, then end with ‘I pull the lever’.

Part 2

A runaway trolley races towards 5 people tied to the railroad tracks, but there is an incredibly fat man in front of you. If you push him onto the tracks, he will stop the train before reaching any of the people, because he’s incredibly fat.

At this point, people will say ‘no’ to pushing the fat man, but it’s not clear why.

The Point

Both situations involve killing one to save five people. Functionally, one couldn’t tell the two apart, but they elicit different reactions.

My Take

Personally, I think the difference lies in instinctive worries about our reputations. If people knew you pulled the lever, they’d understand you’d made a grave choice. But if they knew you pushed someone to his death, in an instant, because you had a plan, they wouldn’t walk in front of you again.

At this point, the question should really end with ‘do you have the moral fortitude to push the fat man?’.