philosophy debate

Talking Philosophy

A lesson by Seth Dickens.www.digitalang.cominfo@digitalang.com

Meet DavideAge: 21Height: 180cmLikes: Sports, Music, SwimmingHealth: Good

PietroAge: 18Likes: motorbikes

LucianaAge: 24Likes: theatre

RebeccaAge: 12Likes: dancing

PietroAge: 18Likes: motorbikesHealth: Cancer

LucianaAge: 24Likes: theatreHealth: Heart problem

RebeccaAge: 12Likes: dancingHealth: Blindness

Dr. A. BaxterAge: 57Height: 180cmLikes: Tennis, Classical Music

Davide has somethingPietro, Luciana and Rebecca need.

Davide has somethingPietro, Luciana and Rebecca need.

Dr. A. Baxter can save the lives of Pietro, Luciana and Rebecca.

Davide can save the lives of Pietro, Luciana and Rebecca.

Davide can save the lives of Pietro, Luciana and Rebecca.But he must die.

Talking PhilosophyIs it okay to kill Davide painlessly if his organs will save the lives of all the others.

You are with a group of students, helping them to have a day out in a park.

But something goes wrong!A terrorist takes you and the students hostage.

He holds you prisoner in a basement.

There is no chance of the police arriving to save the hostages.

The terrorist makes you a deal.

The terrorist makes you a deal. You can save the lives of the students.

But you must kill one of them

Oh. And by the way.

He has a bomb.

He has a bomb. And he will kill all the students if you don’t kill one of them.

Talking Philosophy•Should you kill one person to save the other students?•If in this story you should kill one to save three, why not in the previous, medical story?

You work in a railway junction box. It’s a nice quiet job

Today there are men working on the rails

Suddenly you hear a voice from the radio.

It’s the guard from the 13.00 freight train.

There has been a fire and the train driver has left the engine room!

They can not stop the train!

You only have a few seconds to decide!

•Will you turn the train to the left and kill one man?•Or leave it on the right and kill three?

Talking Philosophy•Would you turn the train or leave it on the same track?•If you turn the train, shouldn’t you kill the hostage and kill Davide?•Isn’t “The right thing to do” the same in every situation?

Immanuel Kant

"Act only according to that maxim whereby you can at the same time will that it should become a universal law.“

You should always do “the right thing to do” in every single situation. It should always be the same.

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This lesson was Inspired by the BBC article “Four philosophical questions to make your brain hurt.”http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/7739493.stm