Philosophy, Religion, and The Trolley Problem
Disciplines
Applied Ethics | History of Philosophy
Abstract (300 words maximum)
Theories of ethics bring a sense of comfort and security to their holders due to their universal nature; they are meant to be practiced and applied to ethical scenarios one might encounter, providing a definitive “right answer” to moral questions. A famous ethical scenario, the Trolley Problem, was created as a philosophical test that challenges conventional tenants of morality, i.e., do not commit murder. The Trolley Problem begins by posing a question: What should a person do when presented with a situation where they must choose between doing nothing, resulting in the deaths of five innocent persons, or spare the five murdering one innocent person instead? This question stands to help the problem-solver think through their own personal philosophy of ethics. The beauty of the Trolley Problem lies in its various iterations or circumstances. In this research, I will examine how different theories of ethics and some religions view the Trolley Problem. The goal of this research is to find a moral overlap amongst a handful of prominent philosophies in American culture; the goal is to articulate a view of morality that synthesizes different theories of ethics and religious viewpoints. Relying on utilitarianism, Christianity, Buddhism, and even AI approaches to ethics, this research finds a universal solution to the Trolley Problem that references different theories and approaches to ethics.
Academic department under which the project should be listed
RCHSS - History & Philosophy
Primary Investigator (PI) Name
Kenneth White
Philosophy, Religion, and The Trolley Problem
Theories of ethics bring a sense of comfort and security to their holders due to their universal nature; they are meant to be practiced and applied to ethical scenarios one might encounter, providing a definitive “right answer” to moral questions. A famous ethical scenario, the Trolley Problem, was created as a philosophical test that challenges conventional tenants of morality, i.e., do not commit murder. The Trolley Problem begins by posing a question: What should a person do when presented with a situation where they must choose between doing nothing, resulting in the deaths of five innocent persons, or spare the five murdering one innocent person instead? This question stands to help the problem-solver think through their own personal philosophy of ethics. The beauty of the Trolley Problem lies in its various iterations or circumstances. In this research, I will examine how different theories of ethics and some religions view the Trolley Problem. The goal of this research is to find a moral overlap amongst a handful of prominent philosophies in American culture; the goal is to articulate a view of morality that synthesizes different theories of ethics and religious viewpoints. Relying on utilitarianism, Christianity, Buddhism, and even AI approaches to ethics, this research finds a universal solution to the Trolley Problem that references different theories and approaches to ethics.