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trolley problems

  • plural
    of trolley problem.
    trolley problem
    noun
    a hypothetical ethical dilemma in which a trolley would kill several people if it continues on its current track but would kill one person if diverted; used to discuss the ethics of sacrificing one to save many.

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Ethicists used this flip, and other intuitions drawn from trolley problems, in their arguments over how a person ought to make a moral judgment in real life.

From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2018

It also seemed a little off that trolley problems were often posed in funny, entertaining ways, while real-life moral dilemmas are unfunny as a rule.

From Slate ● Jun. 18, 2018

When asked about their top concerns about AVs, however, most people don't mention trolley problems.

From Science Magazine ● Dec. 14, 2017

Libertarians might call the “driver-first” approach an inevitable, market-based “solution” to trolley problems.

From Slate ● Oct. 18, 2016

Some of the most famous thought experiments in this area involve what ethicists call trolley problems.

From New York Times ● Mar. 22, 2014

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