Book Review: Would You Kill the Fat Man?
Page count: 182
Time to read: 3h 27m
Category: Philosophy
One-sentence description: Dissecting "trolleyology": thought experiments that present ethical dilemmas which help us understand our morality.
This book was: a little too long
Do I think there's value for me to read this book again? no
If my memory was erased, I would tell myself to: read it eventually
Top 3 takeaways:
- Utilitarianism has flaws
- There is something to say for "agency"
- i.e., "I will not kill, even if told others will kill more if I do not kill."
- Intent matters
- A CEO says "I have a new project! It will make us a ton of money and will likely hurt the environment. I do not care if it hurts the environment." The project is completed and the environment is hurt.
- Should we blame the CEO for the hurt environment?
- A CEO says "I have a new project! It will make us a ton of money and will likely help the environment. I do not care if it helps the environment." The project is completed and the environment is helped.
- Should we credit the CEO for the helped environment?
- A CEO says "I have a new project! It will make us a ton of money and will likely hurt the environment. I do not care if it hurts the environment." The project is completed and the environment is hurt.
Quotes:
"Reading through a trolley literature is a little like watching a Rambo movie: you know it won't be long until the next slaying."