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Killing & Letting Die
Killing & Letting DieTrolley Problems
Dr. Clea F. Rees
Centre for Lifelong LearningCardiff University
Autumn 2013
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Killing & Letting DieOutline
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Thomson: Initial Questions
Trolley Problems
Thomson’s Puzzle
Principles & Distinctions
Thomson on The Trolley ProblemArgumentationEvaluationDiscussion
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Killing & Letting DieThomson: Initial Questions
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Thomson: Initial Questions
What is Thomson’s main thesis or conclusion?
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Killing & Letting DieThomson: Initial Questions
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Thomson: Initial Questions
Terminology (question 2):
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Killing & Letting DieTrolley Problems
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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem I
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Killing & Letting DieTrolley Problems
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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem I
5 innocent, trapped persons
1 innocent, trapped person
A
B
Run Away Trolley
Destination: A
You & The Switch
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Killing & Letting DieTrolley Problems
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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem II
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Killing & Letting DieTrolley Problems
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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem III
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Killing & Letting DieTrolley Problems
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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem III
5 innocent, trapped persons
1 innocent, trapped fat person
A
Run Away Trolley
You & The Switch
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Killing & Letting DieTrolley Problems
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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem IV
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Killing & Letting DieTrolley Problems
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Trolley ProblemsTrolley Problem IV
5 innocent, trapped persons
1 innocent,trapped person
A
Run Away TrolleyLarge Rock
You & The Switch
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Killing & Letting DieThomson’s Puzzle
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Thomson’s Puzzle
What is the puzzle?
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Killing & Letting DieThomson’s Puzzle
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Thomson’s Puzzle
5 innocent, trapped persons
1 innocent, trapped person
A
B
Run Away Trolley
Destination: A
You & The Switch
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Killing & Letting DieThomson’s Puzzle
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Thomson’s Puzzle
Patient — Friendless & Unloved
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Killing & Letting DiePrinciples & Distinctions
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Principles & Distinctions
The Doctrine of Double EffectP may permissibly do A, foreseeing both good and bad effects iff1:1. A is not itself morally wrong;2. P intends the good effect but not the bad effect;3. the bad effect is not the means of producing the good effect;4. the good effect is sufficiently good to compensate for the
harm of the bad effect.
1‘iff’ means ‘if, and only if’
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Killing & Letting DiePrinciples & Distinctions
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Principles & DistinctionsThe Doctrine of Double Effect
ExampleA doctor may prescribe a drug to a terminally ill patient which willboth relieve pain and hasten death iff:1. prescribing pain medication is not wrong in itself;2. she intends to relieve pain but not to hasten death;3. the patient’s death is not the means of relieving the pain;4. the good of relieving the pain compensates for the harm of
hastening death.
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Killing & Letting DiePrinciples & Distinctions
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Principles & Distinctions
Acts vs. OmissionsA distinction between:
I acts which are actions one performs;and
I omissions which are failures to act.
Example
I Omitting to give a dying patient with pneumonia antibiotics.I Acting to bring about her death by giving her a lethal
injection for this purpose.
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Killing & Letting DiePrinciples & Distinctions
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Principles & Distinctions
Doing vs. AllowingA distinction between:
I what one does or brings about;and
I what one (merely) allows.
Example
I Allowing somebody to go hungry when one could have fedher.
I Bringing about her hunger by blowing up to her pantry.
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Killing & Letting DieThomson on The Trolley Problem
Argumentation
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Thomson on The Trolley ProblemArgumentation
Questions 4–6:
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Killing & Letting DieThomson on The Trolley Problem
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Thomson on The Trolley ProblemArgumentation
What solution does Thomson endorse?
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Killing & Letting DieThomson on The Trolley Problem
Evaluation
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Thomson on The Trolley ProblemEvaluation
How good is Thomson’s argument?
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Killing & Letting DieThomson on The Trolley Problem
Discussion
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Thomson on The Trolley ProblemDiscussion
Why should we care?