Questions of Ethics

[dreadgeek]

Originally Posted by Semantics

Is sacrificing a person using them as a means to an end?

The person standing near the switch had nothing to do with causing anyone to be on the tracks. They are all there of their own free will. The fact that a larger quantity of life would be saved doesn't take away the fact that I am now responsible for ending one life, even if in terms of numbers the human race comes out ahead.

Here is a real-world example. Back in, I believe, 1982 or 1983 a B-52 took off from Mather AFB in Sacramento and almost immediately ran into engine trouble. After Mather AFB was built, a whole subdivision grew up around the base advancing almost to the fence line. B-52s are equipped with a way for the crew to escape should the aircraft develop a mechanical problem. The crew *could* have gotten out. However, had they done so the aircraft would have plowed into some houses just on the other side of a field that went right up to the fence line. The pilot, making a command decision, rolled the B-52 over (making the ejection seats worthless) and flew the crippled aircraft into a field killing all nine crew members instantly.

I remember this incident because my house was one of the houses that was spared. The pilot made a decision, there was no communication with the tower, but it's clear that the plane changed course so it was a deliberate action on the part of the guys at the yoke. In doing so he caused the death of eight other people.

This is a very close analogy to the train scenario. In this case, the pilot did not use his aircrew as an *instrument* to achieve an end, given the nature of the situation there was no way for him to save his aircrew AND people on the ground. He did not intend the death of the aircrew, it was an unavoidable consequence of the only action he could take that would spare the lives of people on the ground.

Using someone as a means to an end is very different. Staying with this example (and stretching the mechanics of flight to do so), let's say that the aircraft was simply too heavy and by tossing aircrew out he could keep the plane aloft long enough to circle back and land safely or carry out his mission. NOW he is causing the death of his crew and they are mere instruments for achieving the goal of lightening the load of his airplane.


Cheers
Aj