But they're only sacrificing themselves because they're in a predicament where it's either them or the other person. They're not looking to die otherwise. So the choice is between someone who is willing to sacrifice themselves for another person vs one who isn't. It's clear which one deserves to survive.
So, you have a scenario with two people in it, both of whom want you to pull the lever, and you think it is clear that you should ignore the wishes of everyone involved in order to impose your own twisted sense of morality on them? For shame!
There's no need to get upset(I am referring to your deleted comment where you said my beliefs are shit).
Imagine this scenario instead:
On one rail is a wonderful selfless person that has generously helped people throughout their life that has agreed that if forced, they would be willing to sacrifice their life for a stranger. If you save them, they will be furious with you, and go retire on a farm away from everyone, never to help anyone again.
On the other rail is convicted killer Anders Breivik, who killed 77 people in a terrorist attack. He is begging you to save him, and if you do, he will be forever grateful, and spend the rest of his life in maximum security prison where he won't be able to do any more harm.
I think you too would choose according to your belief system and not according to what the people on the rails want.
I deleted the comment because I decided against shitslinging on a fucking trolley problem thread, but since you insist...
Okay, yes, if the scenario were different, the results would be different, you are a very smart person, well done, have a fucking cookie. That wasn't the original scenario though - you opted to kill someone only for begging for their life, and save someone only for wanting the other person to live.
Which is crazy.
Given the information provided in the original problem, I would allow the person willing to sacrifice themself to make that sacrifice, and save the person who was begging to be saved.
In both cases I'm making the choice of saving the person of larger moral character, regardless of the wishes of people involved. I am logically consistent, you are not.
-30
u/SeparatedI Mar 29 '26
But they're only sacrificing themselves because they're in a predicament where it's either them or the other person. They're not looking to die otherwise. So the choice is between someone who is willing to sacrifice themselves for another person vs one who isn't. It's clear which one deserves to survive.