Philosophy: Trolley Problems and Moral Dilemmas
Thinking carefully about choices, consequences, and values
Philosophy: Trolley Problems and Moral Dilemmas
Thinking carefully about choices, consequences, and values
Philosophy - Grade 6-8
- 1
A runaway trolley is heading toward five workers on the track. You are standing next to a switch that can move the trolley to another track, where one worker is standing. Would you pull the switch? Explain your choice.
Think about whether the number of people affected matters most, or whether causing harm directly matters most.
A thoughtful answer should state whether you would pull the switch and explain why. One possible answer is that pulling the switch saves five people, even though one person is harmed. Another possible answer is that you would not pull it because you do not want to directly cause harm to the one worker. - 2
In the trolley problem, what are the main consequences of pulling the switch and not pulling the switch?
If you pull the switch, five workers are saved and one worker is harmed. If you do not pull the switch, five workers are harmed and the one worker on the other track is not harmed. A complete answer should compare both outcomes clearly. - 3
A student finds a lost wallet with money and a student ID inside. No one is watching. What should the student do, and why?
Consider honesty, fairness, and how the wallet's owner might feel.
A strong answer should say that the student should return the wallet to its owner or turn it in to a trusted adult. This is honest, respects the owner's property, and helps build trust in the school community. - 4
Explain the difference between judging an action by its consequences and judging an action by whether it follows a rule.
Judging by consequences means deciding whether an action is right based on what happens because of it. Judging by rules means deciding whether an action is right based on whether it follows a moral rule, such as do not lie or do not steal, even if the result might be useful. - 5
A friend asks you to lie and say they were with you after school, but you know they were somewhere they were not allowed to be. What should you do? Explain your reasoning.
Think about loyalty to a friend and responsibility to tell the truth.
A thoughtful answer should explain that lying may protect the friend for a short time, but it can damage trust and allow the friend to avoid responsibility. A strong response could be to refuse to lie and encourage the friend to tell the truth. - 6
In a group project, one student did almost no work but wants the same grade as everyone else. What would be a fair way to handle this situation?
A fair response could be to talk with the group member first, explain the problem, and give them a chance to contribute. If the issue continues, the group could tell the teacher honestly. Fairness means recognizing both teamwork and individual effort. - 7
A doctor has one dose of medicine. It can save one very sick patient or be split into smaller doses that may help three less sick patients. What values should the doctor consider before deciding?
List the values that might matter, not just the final choice.
The doctor should consider values such as saving lives, fairness, medical need, chance of recovery, and responsibility to each patient. A complete answer should explain that moral decisions often involve weighing several important values at the same time. - 8
Look at this claim: It is always wrong to break a promise. Do you agree or disagree? Give an example to support your view.
A complete answer should state whether you agree or disagree and give a reasoned example. For example, someone might say promises are very important because they build trust. Someone else might say a promise can be broken if keeping it would seriously hurt someone. - 9
A town has enough rescue boats for only some people during a flood. Leaders must decide who gets rescued first. Name two fair ways they could make the decision and explain one strength of each way.
Think about need, risk, vulnerability, and equal treatment.
One fair way is to rescue people in the most danger first, which protects those with the greatest need. Another fair way is to rescue children, elderly people, or people with medical needs first, which protects more vulnerable people. A complete answer should name two methods and explain why each could be considered fair. - 10
Choose one dilemma from this worksheet and identify the conflict between two values. For example, a conflict might be honesty versus loyalty or saving more lives versus not directly causing harm.
Use the phrase one value is blank, and the other value is blank to organize your answer.
A strong answer should name one dilemma and clearly identify two values that are in conflict. For example, in the friend lying dilemma, honesty conflicts with loyalty. In the trolley problem, saving the greater number of people conflicts with the rule against directly causing harm.