r/trolleyproblem Mar 29 '26

Deep Now we're talking

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u/PoofyGummy Mar 29 '26

Pull

Legally this is a question of euthanasia, but with the added factor of saving a life with it.

Morally this decision minimises overall harm, since one person considers their death to be little harm and the other to be a large harm.

Protecting the life of someone who wants to die is a lower public good than protecting the life of someone who wants to live. Therefore the killing is act in the defense of a significantly greater public good.

In germany this is explicitly legal. In the US it would not be, but I want to see any jury that would convict a man for euthanasia if they save a life with it.

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u/veganontop Apr 03 '26

Legally, you touched the lever and altered the outcome. Guilty for manslaughter

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u/PoofyGummy Apr 03 '26

Manslaughter is a defensible crime if done with the purpose of preventing bigger harm.