How can we accurately determine what we would do in a fast paced life or death situation? It's easy to speculate now and we may even think we would make a certain decision but being in the moment you don't have time to think. You just react.
@shogun By not pulling the lever to switch the train to the one man working, you are allowing it to continue its course for the four man crew. In either scenario death is on your hands.
In determining which person to save or how many to let die we are essentially making a statement about the value of life. Is a child's life worth more than an old man's life? Is your father worth more than a stranger? How can we determine the objective value of life? Is it based on acts, relationships, age, or quantity?
I know I'm not the OP, but I've got one of my own. You are the king of a vast empire. You are approached by two people, each claiming a valuable sword, A sword fit for a king, you think. But the sword is blood-stained. The first man claims, I used this sword to kill my father. The second man says,I used it to kill my father. What do you do?
Send your assassins to kill them and then send your spies to steal the sword, then send your troops to get the swords and a few million gold.
Let's make it more complex. The second one used it to kill his son, while the son was trying to murder him. (So in self-defense). And the first one is the son of the son, so the grandchild of the second one