J.J. Thomson, “The Trolley Problem” (1985) PHIL 102, UBC Christina Hendricks Fall 2015 Except images licensed otherwise, this presentation is licensed.

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Presentation transcript:

J.J. Thomson, “The Trolley Problem” (1985) PHIL 102, UBC Christina Hendricks Fall 2015 Except images licensed otherwise, this presentation is licensed CC BY 4.0CC BY 4.0

Review a little from the videos

Trolley Driver 5 1

Philippa Foot, 1967 Transpla nt

Trolley driver & transplant How does Philippa Foot (1967) explain the difference between these cases? What do you think?

Thomson’s response to Foot Foot’s solution won’t work for a different case from “trolley driver”: “bystander at the switch” o Why not?

Bystander at the Switch Basic Trolley ScenarioBasic Trolley Scenario, Flickr photo shared by John Holbo, licensed CC BY-NC 2.0John Holbo,CC BY-NC 2.0 Permissible to flip the switch?

Foot’s Driver vs Transplant I.“Killing one is worse than letting five die” (Thomson 1396) I.“Killing five is worse than killing one” (Thomson 1397) Trolley, Trolley, Flickr photo shared by John Holbo, licensed CC BY-NC 2.0John Holbo,CC BY-NC 2.0 Bystander at the switch is in this situation too

Thomson’s main question “Why is it that the bystander may turn his trolley, though the surgeon may not remove the young man’s lungs, kidneys and heart?” (1401) Basic Trolley ScenarioBasic Trolley Scenario, Flickr photo shared by John Holbo, licensed CC BY-NC 2.0 John Holbo,CC BY-NC 2.0

How does Thomson answer this question?

Using people as means to ends?

No, b/c of loop example ( ) Using a person merely as a means to an end Bystander

What do you think of “loop”? Straw polls on LC: (attendance not taken; this is just for interest’s sake) How many think it is morally permissible for the bystander at the switch w/o the loop to pull the switch? How many think it is morally permissible for the bystander at the switch with the loop to pull the switch?

Can we appeal to rights? “rights trump utilities” (1404) Can we say, then, that (1404): i.Surgeon cannot transplant b/c violates rights of patient, but ii.Bystander can flip switch b/c doing so doesn’t violate rights of the one who is killed?

Another way to distinguish bystander from transplant Bystander: saves 5 by making something that threatens them, threaten 1 instead (1407) Not true of transplant Imagine a case similar to bystander: o deflecting lethal gas in hospital from five to one ( )

“Distributive Exemption”

Difference between this and what Foot says about choosing between violating two negative duties? Driver’schoiceBystander’schoice Killing 1 Violating negative duty and 1 dies Killing 5 Violating negative duty and 5 die Killing 1 Violating negative duty and 1 dies Letting 5 die Not fulfilling positive duty On Foot’s principle, this may not be permissible

But… Distributive exemption is only morally permissible if we can deflect a harm from many onto fewer “by means which do not themselves constitute infringements on the rights of the one” (1409)

“Fat Man” Bridge SituationBridge Situation, Flickr photo shared by John Holbo, licensed CC BY-NC 2.0John Holbo,CC BY-NC 2.0 Basic Trolley ScenarioBasic Trolley Scenario, Flickr photo shared by John Holbo, licensed CC BY-NC 2.0John Holbo,CC BY-NC 2.0

What do you think of “fat man”? Straw poll on LC: (attendance not taken; this is just for interest’s sake) How many think it is morally permissible for the bystander to push the large person off the bridge to stop the trolley?

How does Thomson argue that it’s permissible for the bystander to flip the switch but not to push the large person?

Summary & review Bystander may flip the switch but surgeon may not transplant—why? Bystander may flip the switch but may not push the “fat man” —why?

Summary & review

Why these weird scenarios? What could be the point of unrealistic thought experiments like this? Create artificial situations to focus in on particular questions o What questions are focused on in trolley driver vs. transplant, bystander at the switch, fat man, loop?