So like the other topic... choose who to save:

You're the driver of a run away train, as its break system has become faulty and stopped working. As a result, you can only change the direction of the train. You look through your binoculars: On one line a priest appears to be tied and on the other a person with a science lab apron with the words "I am an atheist and a teacher!" written across it.

Gollum, the weird creature from Lord of the Rings has done this to you and left you a note: "The vicar has a family and runs a large successful charity saving children from abusive homes, preventing violent, sexual and neglectful mistreatment, as well as providing a counselling service for people with mental disorders; however has made one or two untoward sexist comments about the worth of women in society. The teacher on the other hand is single and is very much devoted to teaching chemistry to school children. Other than teaching, the teacher does not currently do any other duties which help the wider community. They are both men.

EDIT: At the moment you don't know which way the tracks are set, that is handled by head quarters. If you don't notify them of your choice, they will let trains stop on that line (since other trains are not faulty), and as you cannot stop you might crash into them killing everyone on both trains.

Who do you kill, the priest or the teacher?

“There is in every village a torch - the teacher; and an extinguisher- the clergyman” ~ Victor Hugo

The vicar will become a far better martyr than the teacher, increasing the funding available to the charity due to public sympathy. Quality teachers are too hard to come by to lose one so passionate for his subject.

Edit: Yarr!

By moving from the current track I would be making a choice to kill someone. I did not select the track we are on. I can live with that easier than knowing I altered the course that killed a man. In the mean time I am doing everything I can to stop the train.

Grimstad: At the moment you don't know which way the tracks are set, that is handled by head quarters. If you don't notify them of your choice, they will let trains stop on that line (since other trains are not faulty), and as you cannot stop you might crash into them killing everyone on both trains.

Well, if it was a freight train, I'd speed up and try to derail the train by taking a corner too fast before I got to either the priest or the teacher.

P.S. I found out what was wrong with the brakes. You spelled it as "break". Fixed it ! Now the train can stop.

Durro wrote:P.S. I found out what was wrong with the brakes. You spelled it as "break". Fixed it ! Now the train can stop.

My hero!

What's the purpose of this mindnumbing dilemma?

What's the purpose of this mindnumbing dilemma?

A/ To expose the irrational hatred and bitterness atheists hold towards theists by confirming that they would callously kill a theist who is a productive and valued pillar of society.

B/ To learn to spell various homophones correctly.

C/ To learn about mechanical engineering and railway operations.

D/ To fill in time before something good comes on the TV.

Take your pick.

Durro wrote:

What's the purpose of this mindnumbing dilemma?

A/ To expose the irrational hatred and bitterness atheists hold towards theists by confirming that they would callously kill a theist who is a productive and valued pillar of society.

B/ To learn to spell various homophones correctly.

C/ To learn about mechanical engineering and railway operations.

D/ To fill in time before something good comes on the TV.

Take your pick.

Though I appreciate your guesses, I would like to know what Paul aims for with this thread.

All sarcasm aside, I suspect that the wording of the question is to see if an atheist can overcome their antipathy towards theists and save the theist over the atheist, given that the set up clearly states that the theist (presumably) contributes more to society and impacts more people's lives in a direct, positive way.

I'm not sure if the aim is to confirm the perceived biases of atheists, or to get atheists to admit that some theists contribute more to society than some atheists, or perhaps to just evaluate the moral processes that members who approach the quandry with seriousness go through.

As with the earlier version of the problem, I would do my damndest to avert ANY deaths if at all possible and would rather attempt a manouvre (such as deliberately derailing the train) to try and save a life, rather than to grapple with the problem and take an action that led to at least one death, no matter how inevitable it appeared at first glance.

Durro wrote:All sarcasm aside, I suspect that the wording of the question is to see if an atheist can overcome their antipathy towards theists and save the theist over the atheist, given that the set up clearly states that the theist (presumably) contributes more to society and impacts more people's lives in a direct, positive way.

I'm not sure if the aim is to confirm the perceived biases of atheists, or to get atheists to admit that some theists contribute more to society than some atheists, or perhaps to just evaluate the moral processes that members who approach the quandry with seriousness go through.

As with the earlier version of the problem, I would do my damndest to avert ANY deaths if at all possible and would rather attempt a manouvre (such as deliberately derailing the train) to try and save a life, rather than to grapple with the problem and take an action that led to at least one death, no matter how inevitable it appeared at first glance.

Nicely put.

Even a freight train has more than a few people on it. derailing it puts their lives in danger. And if the control center is unaware of which tracks the trains are on there is a much bigger problem. All I can do is make them aware of my situation, they are the ones who keep track of which trains are where.

Too hard to choose. I'd probably help the old man in the hope the younger person could help them self. But if i knew that one of them was screwed for sure, and the Priest looked like a very old man, i'd probably save the teacher if he was younger.

Anyway, when it does come to helping people in danger. I usually go to help females or kids first, this one is tricky because they are probably both relatively strong men.

I hated chemistry at school. Is there a way to kill both the vicar & the teacher?

If people want to find out for real. Join a surf life saving club, or something like that. If your at a crazy beach, you will have to help out plenty of people who have their lives at risk each year. Usually you end up going to whoever is in more need.

For example if there is a bunch of white people caught in a rip, along with a bunch of Arabs wearing full length clothes (as usual) in the ocean. You usually assume the white people are better swimmers and go for the Arabs first, who look like they are about to go under.

Not that i am very experienced, the only time I've ever had to use my training is on holidays at beaches where there are no lifeguards. And none have ever really been very life threatening.

Ignoring that since forever trains fail-safe** if there are brake system failures, then toss a coin - heads left/tails right. This would frustrate the Gollum so much that it would interfere with the chain of events.

**Well since after the Armagh rail disaster on 12 June 1889.

chairman bill wrote:I hated chemistry at school. Is there a way to kill both the vicar & the teacher?

But even though you did, you never developed a proper antipathy for other people interested in chemistry, and didn't act out your fantasies. Not everyone is as lucky as you are.

If you meet the Buddha on the road, kill him! Tie him to the railroad track in an ethics video, and kill two birds with one stone.

I wouldn't save either but instead record the whole thing on my smart phone and post it on facebook later that day.

HughMcB wrote:I wouldn't save either but instead record the whole thing on my smart phone and post it on facebook later that day.

Now there's a thought - maybe after I tossed my coin to decide which track I would jump off the train and record the dismemberment and upload the clip to theync dot com (don't bother googling and visiting that if you want your lunch to stay in place).