4/23(Tue) Ethical dilemma again! (Host: Ellen)

[ellenlin]

Though I'm aware these topics have likely been discussed numerous times in YoYo's history, I'd appreciate the opportunity to revisit them once more.

Session 1: The Trolley Problem

Please watch the video for the discussion.
Source 1: Source 2: https://theconversation.com/the-trolley ... five-57111

Scenario 1:
Imagine you’re watching a runaway trolley barreling down the tracks, straight toward five workers. You happen to be standing next to a switch that will divert the trolley onto a second track. Here’s the problem: that track has a worker on it, too—but just one. What do you do? Do you sacrifice one person to save five?

Scenario 2:
Now consider the second variation of this dilemma.
Imagine you are standing on a footbridge above the tram tracks. You can see the runaway trolley hurtling towards the five unsuspecting workers, but there’s no lever to divert it.
However, there is a large man standing next to you on the footbridge. You’re confident that his bulk would stop the tram in its tracks.
So, would you push the man onto the tracks, sacrificing him in order to stop the tram and thereby saving five others?

Q1) What will you do in the first scenario? How about the second scenario? What will you do? (some argue that there’s a distinction between killing and letting die. The former is active, while the latter is passive.)

Q2) What if the one person you would kill was a family member and the four people were strangers?

Q3) What if one was a random baby and the others were people in your family? What would you do?

Q4) What applications do you see for the trolley problem?
(Example: Do you think an autonomous vehicle should always try to minimize the number of casualties in any situation, even if it means sacrificing the passengers in the car, or should it always prioritize protecting the passengers in the car no matter what?)

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Session 2: Whose life is more valuable?

Please watch the video for the discussion.
Source: To protect against a possible resurgence of smallpox, the US government is funding research to improve treatments and vaccines. And since it’s unethical to expose people to a highly lethal virus, labs are using monkeys as research subjects. But is it right to harm these animals to protect humanity from a potential threat?

Q1) What would you do as a scientist faced with this very real scenario?

Q2) Is it right to harm these animals to protect humanity from a potential threat? If it is not right, why do people still tend to do it?

Q3) Historically, many philosophers believed that humans had moral status and other animals didn’t. Therefore it is morally acceptable to kill monkeys to save humans. Do you agree? Why?

Q4) Who do you think is more valuable: your best friend or your pet?

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Agenda

6:45 ~ 7:00pm Greetings & Free Talk / Ordering Beverage or Meal / Getting Newcomer’s Information
7:00 ~ 7:10pm Opening Remarks / Newcomer’s Self-introduction / Grouping
(Session I)
7:10 ~ 7:45pm Discussion Session (35 mins)
7:45 ~ 8:00pm Summarization (15 mins)
8:00 ~ 8:05pm Regrouping / Instruction Giving / Taking a 5 Minutes Break (Intermission)
(Session II)
8:05 ~ 8:40pm Discussion Session (35 mins)
8:40 ~ 8:55pm Summarization (15 mins)
8:55 ~ 9:00pm Concluding Remarks / Announcements

Meeting Date: As shown on the Subject Line
Meeting Time: 7:00pm – 9:00pm
Meeting Venue: 丹堤咖啡 Dante Coffee (Minimum Order $100)
Address: 台北市濟南路三段25號[MAP]-捷運忠孝新生站3號出口步行3分鐘

Important Notes:
1. We advise participants to print out the discussion questions and bring them to the meeting for reference. As for the supporting articles, feel free to print them out, as well, according to your preference.
2. We suggest that participants read the articles and think about the questions in advance.
3. Newcomers should prepare a two-to-three minute self-introduction in English to deliver when called upon by the host before the start of the discussion. The host may also ask you to give brief feedback about the meeting at the conclusion of the meeting.
4. We conduct the entire meeting in English. All participants should have at least moderate English-conversation skills and be able to articulate your ideas for each discussion question.
5. We welcome newcomers and other guests to attend the meetings and join the discussion freely for two times. After that, we hope you will consider becoming a YoYo English Club member. We charge a NT$1500 lifetime membership fee, or NT$1000 for students.

[Luis Ko]

wow~ it's Ellen!!

good topic, though the questions are a bit too challenging... to answer.