You come across a railroad track split into two directions. In one direction there is a single person tied down to the tracks. The other direction has five people tied down to the tracks. A train is approaching and you only have time to pick the direction the train goes. There is no time to save the people. Which way do you send the train?
Obviously, most people would pick to send it toward the one person. Kill one, save five.
You are kidnapped by criminals. They put you in a room with one person on the left, and five on the right. They give you a gun and tell you to kill one group. You either kill the one person, or kill the five. If you do not comply, they will kill all of them.
Most people would hesitate, but would eventually pick the one person to kill. Kill one, save five.
Last. There is a man living alone, with no use in life. He lives off an inheritance, has no job, and is not a productive member of society in any way. It turns out his DNA and bloody type match with five people in a local hospital who need organ transplants. They need them within days, or all five will die. Is it justifiable to kill the one man, harvest his organs, and save five people?
For those who killed the one in the above examples, you killed one to save five. Why should this example be any different?
Even if it does save someone, murder is still illegal and there for would probably in turn result in you being killed or sentenced to life. Kill 'em all I don't know the people..
It shouldnt be any different. Everyones life has the same value. No life should be taken. And all of these are "what if questions". What if it didn't happen?
In the first two examples, you are forced to make a choice to kill. In the last example, you are forced to choose either to kill or not to save. You shouldn't kill an innocent life unless you have no choice. Still, not too sure what I'd choose as the last choice, but it is different.
In number one, I'd kill the one person, but I'd try to do something better, like breaking the handle off, or just trying to make it so that it breaks.
In number two, I'd hate to shoot somebody, because than I'd have that guilt forever, but watch them shoot, and kill all six, I couldn't live with that. I'd shoot the one.
In number three, it's not my decision, but if I was that un-productive guy, I'd choose to give my organs to the people. This scenario kinda reminds me of the movie 5 Pounds.
