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Killing & Letting Die

Killing & Letting DieTrolley Problems

Dr. Clea F. Rees

ReesC17@cardiff.ac.uk

Centre for Lifelong LearningCardiff University

Autumn 2013

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Killing & Letting DieOutline

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Thomson: Initial Questions

Trolley Problems

Thomson’s Puzzle

Principles & Distinctions

Thomson on The Trolley ProblemArgumentationEvaluationDiscussion

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Thomson: Initial Questions

What is Thomson’s main thesis or conclusion?

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Thomson: Initial Questions

Terminology (question 2):

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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem I

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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem I

5 innocent, trapped persons

1 innocent, trapped person

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Run Away Trolley

Destination: A

You & The Switch

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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem II

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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem III

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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem III

5 innocent, trapped persons

1 innocent, trapped fat person

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Run Away Trolley

You & The Switch

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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem IV

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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem IV

5 innocent, trapped persons

1 innocent,trapped person

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Run Away TrolleyLarge Rock

You & The Switch

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Killing & Letting DieThomson’s Puzzle

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Thomson’s Puzzle

What is the puzzle?

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Thomson’s Puzzle

5 innocent, trapped persons

1 innocent, trapped person

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B

Run Away Trolley

Destination: A

You & The Switch

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Thomson’s Puzzle

Patient — Friendless & Unloved

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Killing & Letting DiePrinciples & Distinctions

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Principles & Distinctions

The Doctrine of Double EffectP may permissibly do A, foreseeing both good and bad effects iff1:1. A is not itself morally wrong;2. P intends the good effect but not the bad effect;3. the bad effect is not the means of producing the good effect;4. the good effect is sufficiently good to compensate for the

harm of the bad effect.

1‘iff’ means ‘if, and only if’

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Principles & DistinctionsThe Doctrine of Double Effect

ExampleA doctor may prescribe a drug to a terminally ill patient which willboth relieve pain and hasten death iff:1. prescribing pain medication is not wrong in itself;2. she intends to relieve pain but not to hasten death;3. the patient’s death is not the means of relieving the pain;4. the good of relieving the pain compensates for the harm of

hastening death.

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Principles & Distinctions

Acts vs. OmissionsA distinction between:

I acts which are actions one performs;and

I omissions which are failures to act.

Example

I Omitting to give a dying patient with pneumonia antibiotics.I Acting to bring about her death by giving her a lethal

injection for this purpose.

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Principles & Distinctions

Doing vs. AllowingA distinction between:

I what one does or brings about;and

I what one (merely) allows.

Example

I Allowing somebody to go hungry when one could have fedher.

I Bringing about her hunger by blowing up to her pantry.

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Argumentation

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Thomson on The Trolley ProblemArgumentation

Questions 4–6:

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Thomson on The Trolley ProblemArgumentation

What solution does Thomson endorse?

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Evaluation

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Thomson on The Trolley ProblemEvaluation

How good is Thomson’s argument?

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Discussion

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Thomson on The Trolley ProblemDiscussion

Why should we care?