Philosophical Question #5 – Strangers vs. Loved Ones

  • Would you kill ten people to save one?

Yes, we all know of the trolley car conundrum and throwing the switch to “save the many, vs the one.”  I think many here, actually many universally, probably see that resolution the same way, regarding these hypothetical strangers.  We’d do it, save the many instead of the one.

But let’s complicate/rethink Spock's dilemma of the "needs of the many outweighing the needs of the few, or the one."  What if that ONE needing saved was a loved one?  Would you still kill the ONE (e.g., your spouse/significant other, child, mom, dad, etc.) to save ten strangers?  Does the situation/calculation change now for you??  Does love overpower reason?  Explain.

(by PrimalSoup)

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