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Should you save the virtuous, or respect their wishes?

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Yesterday, 12:22 PM
#1
resident arbiter

Offline
Oct 2015
7189
There are two victims tied to the tracks of a railway, you can only save one. Failure to choose results in both of their deaths, person A wishes to be saved, although they understand it means dooming the life of another. Person B on the other hand, agrees to sacrifice themself so that Person A may live.



Should you save Person A, going by the expressed thoughts of the people involved, or should you save Person B to reward their virtue? Why, why not? I am interested in your thoughts.
Yesterday, 12:32 PM
#2

Offline
Jul 2010
6474
Let them both die since one of them doesn't value its life enough anyway and the other to punish their selfishness and because the more blood the better.

But more seriously, person A get squashed.
Yesterday, 12:50 PM
#3

Offline
Sep 2016
25053
Depends on their sex, if female then A, otherwise B.
*kappa*
Yesterday, 12:54 PM
#4
Offline
Jan 2023
269
i would say B. cause he agreed himself to save another. i think it should be respected.
10 hours ago
#5
Offline
Apr 2022
1764
my rational side would choose A cus i want compensation and think there's likely more to be gained by saving A than B. my irrational side would choose B cus i respect neither of their wishes. So think it will be B cus it would likely be at the heat of the moment
10 hours ago
#6

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May 2023
1492
why would I be going anywhere near some insane snidely whiplash scenario? it's 2026, I travel roads not railroad tracks
10 hours ago
#7

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Aug 2024
255
Save Person A, but before Person B dies we give them honors for being virtuous. Going at this situation with the idea of killing Person A for their lack of virtuous self-sacrifice feels unjust. Why ought I decide to execute someone for lack of virtue? I would rather fulfill one's virtue than punish one's lack of it, as to punish for this is a matter above my station.

Also would it be to reward one's virtue by blatantly rejecting it? Person B has decided that their wish and desire is to sacrifice so another may live. They value Person A's life more than their own. Would it be a reward to reject this wish? Sure, you could say that it would keep more of those with virtue in the world, but would it not also devalue virtue if you reject it?
Baskarite said:
I'd probably kill myself if fucking kyun kyun came on over the speaker while I was trying to fight.
9 hours ago
#8

Offline
May 2014
1850
According to Saith Gair Cyfiawn, both dying men carry equal credibility. Therefore, by ancient Welsh honor law, the trolley must first consult a judge, a king, a priest, a father, a mother, and a man regarding property before proceeding. Failure to convene the court may result in the trolley being fined for creating disorder.

Person B yields their claim, Person A's Just Word prevails, and by Saith Gair Cyfiawn, this is legally correct. Coincidentally, the trolley also switches tracks, proving once and for all that ancient Welsh law is more morally reliable than your GPS.
5 hours ago
#9
Nostalgia Rules!

Offline
Jun 2008
16612
Roll out the red carpet I guess? I don't know, it's late and I don't feel like thinking right now. 🤣
5 hours ago

Offline
Feb 2017
286
let the guy who wants to sacrificed die.

both will live with a guilt if survived, but the virtous one will bear more hatred towards to the choice.

this is a survival to the fittest world. accept the reality and try to survive. if you want to die, go ahead. even the saved person wont remember you after a while.

the world already suffers from self sacrifical people and their whimsical wishes.
Xeleton4 hours ago
The stars are distant as always
Still shining with the light of their grand deaths in vacant space
Let it penetrate the darkness when a beast roars a final wail
Let it penetrate my heart so I can share your pain
4 hours ago
Offline
Nov 2025
130
If person A is a kid or a pregnant woman or someone that person B loves (daughter, wife etc), I'd save A.
Otherwise I'd just enjoy the show, I don't like righteous pushovers (I'd consider B a pushover if A is neither his beloved nor a kid) nor bastards (I'd consider A a bastard if they are a normal person who has no more right to live than B and still wines to be saved).
4 hours ago
lagom
Online
Jan 2009
109778
toss a coin to solve the trolley problem they say
3 hours ago

Offline
Jul 2021
11991
How the hell would both of them die in a trolley problem?
Explain the physics of that...
*:・゚✧*:・゚✧May the winds of change transform you entirely.*:・゚✧*:・゚✧
2 hours ago
🌷Weiß Engel🐇

Offline
Feb 2024
1478
Reply to JaniSIr
How the hell would both of them die in a trolley problem?
Explain the physics of that...
@JaniSIr The tracks are looped?

OT:

In an abstract situation, the easiest choice for me is person A, because that suits everyone. But abstract situations don't exist.

For example, I would definitely choose person B if I liked them much more or if they were much more useful for me personally (and not at all because of their self-sacrifice).

Leaving both there is also an option.

Why do I even have to get off the tram? And what if I'm the driver?

Anyway, too many unknowns - I'll decide based on the situation, haha.
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
40 minutes ago

Offline
Jul 2021
11991
Reply to LoveYourSmile
@JaniSIr The tracks are looped?

OT:

In an abstract situation, the easiest choice for me is person A, because that suits everyone. But abstract situations don't exist.

For example, I would definitely choose person B if I liked them much more or if they were much more useful for me personally (and not at all because of their self-sacrifice).

Leaving both there is also an option.

Why do I even have to get off the tram? And what if I'm the driver?

Anyway, too many unknowns - I'll decide based on the situation, haha.
@LoveYourSmile if the tracks are looped then your choice doesn't even matter.
The default state of the switch would need to take the trolley into a multi track drift or something.
*:・゚✧*:・゚✧May the winds of change transform you entirely.*:・゚✧*:・゚✧
35 minutes ago

Offline
Feb 2017
10365
It depends on the age and sex. I won't sacrifice a 12-year-old girl with a whole future ahead of her over some guy in his 70s just because she agreed to be sacrificed. If all things are equal, evolution prioritizes survival at all cost, so I'll save the man who's begging over the one with a death wish.
6 minutes ago

Online
Mar 2008
54275
The person who wants to sacrifice would have survivors guilt so you would not be doing them much a favor even if they have better character making them more deserving but being more deserving also means being more deserving of their own wishes fulfilled.

Realistically though I highly doubt a trolly would kill either of them. It would just injure them at most, it isn't some high speed beast of a train lol
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