Trolley Problem: On the Moral Track - Moral and Ethical Philosophy

In this lesson, we will look at the "Trolley Problem," a tricky situation where you have to decide who lives or dies. The problem makes us think about how we value human life and what is the right thing to do when you can choose who survives. We will discuss different versions of this problem and some important ideas in ethics.

Before You Watch

Think about this situation and answer the question:

Scenario Poll

Imagine you're a firefighter in a burning house. In one room, there are five people about to die from smoke. In another room, there’s one person who is also about to die. You can only save one group. Which one do you save?

Save the five people
Save the one person

Why did you choose that option? (Write your answer below)

Watch the Video

Watch the video to learn more about the trolley problem and how people answer it. Click the link below:

Watch the Trolley Problem Video

Discussion Questions

1. What do you think is the value of a human life?

Can you put a value on a human life? For example, using money, gold, or something else? Do you think all human lives are equal? Explain why or why not.

2. In one version of the trolley problem, you have to push one person onto the tracks. Does your answer change in this case?

What’s the difference between this version and the original problem?

3. Why do you think we need to think about situations like the trolley problem?

What can we learn from thinking about these types of problems?

Activity Ideas

Try these activities to learn more about the trolley problem:

Try the "Should You Kill the Fat Man?" quiz to explore how you would answer a similar question.
In small groups, talk about what you think are the problems with the trolley problem. Why do some people not agree with it?
Think about how modern technology, like self-driving cars, could change how we answer the trolley problem. What do you think?

Reflection Questions

Think about your answers and beliefs after watching the video and doing the activities:

4. Which version of the trolley problem is the hardest for you to answer?

Submit Your Answers

When you're done, click the button below to submit your answers.