Thought Experiments That Will Change How You Think About Life

In this video, we explore several versions of the popular thought experiment known as the "trolley problem." These thought experiments bring into question our basic moral intuitions and reveal how complicated things can easily become when all options are bad.

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[PursuitofWonder]

Thank you for watching! I hope you enjoyed.

[nathansmitty]

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[eddienyambe]

"Morality is flexible based on our emotions and not based on our consistency of logic"

[jon]

My problem with the trolley problem is in real life with unknown variables by switching the track you could be diverting the train into an oncoming train thus also causing a train crash. Involving yourself in situations where you don't have all the information can cause unintended consequences.

[darkhorse]

I've asked friends, family and coworkers this.
"If they were the single person on the track, and I was the one pushing the button (divert the train), would they want me to, or not?"
Was very interesting to compare my perspective with other people in my life.

[yaqubahmed]

He discusses philosophy so deeply and vividly through his storytelling... That's what I like about him

[TheKrispyfort]

MindField (hosted by Michael from Vsauce) actually tested this (simulation) and most people didn't flip the switch. They were paralyzed by the situation. One person did flip the switch.
All participants were debriefed after the experiment.

My youngest child and I would do these thought experiments on long distance drives. We concluded that we wouldn't know until we were there and knew the individual situation

[Igneous]

The most difficult lesson of life is when you don't know if your choices were good or bad until after the fact. Sometimes the road ahead is truly a dense fog with no clear indication.

The other hard truth to accept, is that sometimes you have to do bad things to get good outcomes.

[jimgsewell]

If you time it right and wait for a couple of cars to pass before you switch the track, you might be able to get them all.

[laprankster]

This is why I tend to think of morality as a set of general principles and not as absolutes. I’m not a pure consequentialist, normative, utilitarian, etc. I (as do most people) have a mix of all these theories as the basis of my ethical system.

[VIKINGHUN]

In college we had a group discussion about a drunk driver running into a group of kids and killing them. Then we had to switch the drunk driver with a teenage girl who was looking down and changing the radio station and running into the same group of kids and killing them. It was very eye opening...Thank you....

[Exploringguy]

People who know me know how much this channel means to me.

[Maidaseu]

“Evil is evil… lesser, greater, middling. It’s all the same. If I have to choose between one evil and another, then I prefer not to choose at all.”

(The Butcher of Blaviken)

[therealunklefreaky]

Here's some food for thought. For all we know, during our lifetime, we all may have indirectly contributed to someone's death without even knowing it. For example, say I'm sitting at a stop sign and I courteously allow a driver to make his turn before me. A little ways down the road he ends up getting t-boned by a person running a red light and dies due to the coincidental timing. If I hadn't let him through he might not have been there in the first place. 🤷

[rayhume]

The trolley problem comes down to ACTIVELY killing someone or doing nothing and actively killing no one.

[ArnoNymus]

When you quickly switch the tracks right after the first wheels have passed you might be able to create equity.

[interesting]

A hero would definitely choose for the greater good, although, a villain would sacrifice the world for you. I resonate with that.

[DarthMohammedRules]

Here's what it comes down to...

I'm fine with dealing with the results of my inaction. That's what would've happened if I wasn't there at all. But if I feel like I can do something to (hopefully) change things for the better, that's what I'm gonna (try) to do. Regardless of the outcome.

And my conscience will be totally clear and at peace with my decision (or lack thereof).

[SushiSuxs]

I prefer to not judge people for their extremely difficult actions, if they think it was the right choice I will take it for granted and accept that it was the right one for the person, like the example in the video wr never know what makes someone doing those actions.

[quax]

Well, my way of approaching this problem is to quickly analyze the situation from the most valuable values that I set myself and make a decision based on it. The most efficient way to not feel as guilty. 🙃