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Abstract

t maximizes what is good.Here’s how a utilitarian does moral reasoning: First, you estimate the potential benefits and harm that could result from your action. Then, you do the action that produces the greatest benefits for the greatest number of individuals.While utilitarianism seems like a practical approach to solving moral dilemmas, there are underlying issues with this theory.The biggest problem is it completely ignores people’s liberty and rights. As long as an act maximizes benefits for everyone involved, a utilitarian does not care how the benefits are obtained.In the above scenario, you would rather save more people, even if you have to violate someone’s rights to live.<h1 id="bdec">Option B: Don’t Kill 1 to Save 10</h1>If your answer is to not kill that one innocent person, then you are likely a deontologist.Deontology focuses on the action itself, instead of the consequences it produces. If the nature of an action is considered morally bad, then it is absolute. No matter what the outcome may be, it does not justify doing a morally bad action.As a deontologist who abides by a set of moral codes, would you change your mind if the number of people’s lives at stake becomes higher?What if the number of people in the gas room increases to 1000 or 1,000,000? Will you break the rule just b

Options

ecause the scale becomes different?<h1 id="1f6a">Doing Harm VS Allowing Harm</h1>Another question to consider is — is doing harm the same as allowing harm?Most people’s intuition leads us to believe that causing harm is far worse than allowing harm.In the scenario of Batman, although killing 1 person can result in 10 lives being saved, you are required to actively harm an innocent person. Whereas, if you let the 10 citizens die inside the gas room, you are merely allowing harm to happen.If you think the moral duty to avoid doing harm is more important than the moral duty to offer help, then you might choose option B. However, if you focus solely on the outcome and don’t consider the difference between doing harm and causing harm, then you might choose option A.<h1 id="3003">Closing Thoughts</h1>In the movies, heroes often manage to save the day without breaking their moral principles. Of course they do, as we need perfect endings in movies.While this moral dilemma forces you to choose between two very difficult decisions, I believe there isn’t a perfect answer. There are pros and cons of both options. In the end, it all depends on what ethical principles you believe in.If you’d like to share which option you would choose, feel free to leave a comment and tell me why. I’m interested in knowing what you think!</article></body>

Can You Answer This Difficult Moral Dilemma?

Find out what ethical principle you believe in with this tricky question

The Scenario:

You are Batman, and the Joker has locked up 10 innocent citizens in a room that releases toxic gas. They will die very quickly as the gas fills up the room. Next to you is an innocent man whose stomach contains a key to unlock the gas room. In order to save 10 innocent citizens, you have to kill the man and cut open his stomach to obtain the key.

In this scenario, will you kill 1 innocent man to save 10 people?

Option A: Kill 1 to Save 10

If your answer is — to kill 1 innocent person and save 10, then you likely believe in utilitarianism.

A utilitarian believes that whether an action is morally right or wrong depends on its consequences and nothing else. Anything you do is considered right if it maximizes what is good.

Here’s how a utilitarian does moral reasoning: First, you estimate the potential benefits and harm that could result from your action. Then, you do the action that produces the greatest benefits for the greatest number of individuals.

While utilitarianism seems like a practical approach to solving moral dilemmas, there are underlying issues with this theory.

The biggest problem is it completely ignores people’s liberty and rights. As long as an act maximizes benefits for everyone involved, a utilitarian does not care how the benefits are obtained.

In the above scenario, you would rather save more people, even if you have to violate someone’s rights to live.

Option B: Don’t Kill 1 to Save 10

If your answer is to not kill that one innocent person, then you are likely a deontologist.

Deontology focuses on the action itself, instead of the consequences it produces. If the nature of an action is considered morally bad, then it is absolute. No matter what the outcome may be, it does not justify doing a morally bad action.

As a deontologist who abides by a set of moral codes, would you change your mind if the number of people’s lives at stake becomes higher?

What if the number of people in the gas room increases to 1000 or 1,000,000? Will you break the rule just because the scale becomes different?

Doing Harm VS Allowing Harm

Another question to consider is — is doing harm the same as allowing harm?

Most people’s intuition leads us to believe that causing harm is far worse than allowing harm.

In the scenario of Batman, although killing 1 person can result in 10 lives being saved, you are required to actively harm an innocent person. Whereas, if you let the 10 citizens die inside the gas room, you are merely allowing harm to happen.

If you think the moral duty to avoid doing harm is more important than the moral duty to offer help, then you might choose option B. However, if you focus solely on the outcome and don’t consider the difference between doing harm and causing harm, then you might choose option A.

Closing Thoughts

In the movies, heroes often manage to save the day without breaking their moral principles. Of course they do, as we need perfect endings in movies.

While this moral dilemma forces you to choose between two very difficult decisions, I believe there isn’t a perfect answer. There are pros and cons of both options. In the end, it all depends on what ethical principles you believe in.

If you’d like to share which option you would choose, feel free to leave a comment and tell me why. I’m interested in knowing what you think!