Trollytehtävää

Trollytehtävää, also known as the trolley problem, is a thought experiment in ethics that presents a moral dilemma. The scenario typically involves a runaway trolley moving toward five tied-up (or otherwise incapacitated) people lying on the tracks. You are standing next to a lever that, if pulled, will divert the trolley onto a side track, saving the five people but killing one person who is tied up on the side track. The dilemma is whether to pull the lever, thereby sacrificing one person to save five, or do nothing, allowing the trolley to kill the five people on the main track.

The trolley problem was originally formulated by Philippa Foot in 1967 and has since been used to explore various ethical theories. It raises questions about the moral difference between an active choice to cause harm (pulling the lever) and a passive allowance of harm (doing nothing). The problem has been adapted in numerous ways, such as the fat man scenario, where the choice is between pushing a large man off a bridge to stop the trolley or doing nothing, or the bystander scenario, where the choice is between pushing a large man into the path of the trolley or doing nothing.

The trolley problem has been criticized for being artificial and not reflecting real-world moral decisions. However, it has also been praised for highlighting the complexities and nuances of moral reasoning. The problem has been used in various fields, including philosophy, psychology, and artificial intelligence, to study decision-making processes and ethical behavior. Despite its criticisms, the trolley problem remains a popular thought experiment in ethics, continuing to spark discussions and debates about moral responsibility and consequence.