A634.1.5.RB - The Train Dilemma: When no Choice is a Good One!

A634.1.5.RB - The Train Dilemma: When no Choice is a Good One!

            When I read the dilemma, I struggled with what I would do because I am a mother and my heart would break having to make a decision between ending the life of a child or an elderly man. How does one decide who should live and who should die? How does one decide to kill one child or five innocent children who have their whole lives ahead of them?

            In the first part of the dilemma, one is facing the difficult decision to end the life of one child or five children. Natural instinct says to end the one child and save five because it is less difficult to accept the ending of one life rather than five. But what makes the five lives more important than the one life? I had to use logic of reason to make the decision for the first part of the question and pull the switch to end one life.

            However, moving into the second part of the question it becomes more difficult to decide what one should do. The older gentleman has lived his life and he has had a chance to live and be part of the world. The children on the other hand are still young and have their whole future ahead of them. How does one decide whose life is more valuable or should be saved? I struggled with this question and I could not reach a logical conclusion, therefore; I asked my 10-year-old daughter the same question to see another perspective. She stated that it is best to save the elderly man because the children will go to heaven because they do not know what sin is, therefore; they will be saved by grace. Coming from a Christian perspective and where the foundation of my ethics and beliefs are grounded, I can confidently stand by this reasoning. This is not to say this decision would not be painful and difficult but knowing the outcome for the children brings a peace to the decision. I would not push the elderly man.

            Finally, going back to the original question throwing the switch to save five children or not throwing the switch and saving one child but the one child being my own, which one would I save? In this instance, beyond any doubt I would choose my own child because I could not sacrifice my own flesh and blood, my child looks to me for protection. If I do not save my child then I have failed them as a mother and that would be unbearable to live with. I realize that by not throwing the switch I have ended the life of five children that have mothers who care about their child just as much as I care about my own but I brought my own child into the world and vowed to protect them any way possible.

            In conclusion, I am left with the questions of saving all the children by pushing the elderly man in front of the train or save the man and sacrifice the children. The decision was less difficult when none of the children were my own flesh and blood, however; when that was factored in I had to change my thinking. In the end, I would save my own child before anyone else because I made a commitment the day I brought them into this world that I would protect them by any means possible.