In: Psychology
1.A trolley is hurtling out of control and five people are tied down to the track! You are standing next to a very large man on a footbridge above the track. If you push him in front of the trolley, you will kill him, but save the five people. What would a Utilitarian and a Kantian Deontologist say you should do? What objection might a Kantian Deontologist make against the Utilitarian answer? Make sure you explain the relevant details of each theory.
2.Someone knocks at your door. It's your roommate's ex and she's come to kill him! She asks where he is. You know that your roommate happens to be upstairs sleeping. What would a Kantian and an Aristotelian say about this situation? What objection might an Aristotelian make against the Kantian answer? Make sure to explain the relevant details of each theory.
3.Oh no! You're living in the State of Nature and life is solitary, poor, nasty, brutish, and short! Describe the three features of the State of Nature according to Hobbes and how they contribute to making it undesirable. Then explain what Hobbes thinks you have to do to enter into society.
Question (1)
Kantian deontology theory of ethics proposes that in order to act in the morally right way, people must act from duty. Secondly, it proposes that it was not the consequences of actions that make them right or wrong, but the motives of the person who carries out the action.
On the other hand, Utilitarians believe that we should do actions that produce the greatest amount of happiness.
===> A Utilitarian would say me to push the large man on a footbridge above the track in front of the trolley which will kill him, but save the five people. This will bring happiness and will be helpful to maximum number of persons.
On the other hand, Kantian Deontologist would say me to perform my duty in this case which is to save people. He would also examine if my motive of saving people is right or not or just I am killing the large man by taking advantage of the situation by saving five people.
What objection might a Kantian Deontologist make against the Utilitarian answer?
The objection of Kantian Deontologist will be from the side of my motive or intention. He would examine if my motive of saving people is right or not or just I am killing the large man by taking advantage of the situation by saving five people. He would also object me and can ask me to save those five people by taking help of any other person who is below on the track. Moreover his objection could be : Why I am killing large person, why I am not sacrificing myself to save five people.