You can save five people from a speeding training by killing another. What’ll you do?
Suppose you are standing by a railroad track. Ahead, you see five people walking on the track, with no space to escape. You hear a train approach. You also notice a lever with which you can switch the train to a sidetrack. There is one person on the sidetrack, unaware of the danger. You can save five at the cost of one. Would you pull the lever? Now, if your response is ‘yes’, consider this. Assume you are now on a bridge over the track. Ahead, five people on the track are at risk. You can save them by throwing a heavy object into the path of the train. One is available right beside you, in the form of a fat man. Would you push him to save the five? If your response is ‘no’, what would you say is the difference?