Myside's Spew - Blog of Spontaneous Combustible Spew

Omission Bias

03 April, 2011 11:22 CST6CDT

There are four people stuck on a train track.  You are in the train.  The operator is incapacitated and you don't know how to work the breaks.  You do see a lever however that would put the train on an alternative track.  However, there is one person stuck on this track.  Would you switch tracks to save 4 people but kill one or would you do nothing?

There are four people stuck on a train track.  You are on a bridge overpass on top of the train tracks.  There is one other person that you do not know including yourself looking at the appending doom of these four stuck people.  This other person is big and heavy enough where if he were to be put into the path of the oncoming train, the train would stop before hitting the four people ahead.  Would you push him off the overpass?

The omission bias is an alleged type of cognitive bias. It is the tendency to judge harmful actions as worse, or less moral than equally harmful omissions (inactions). It is contentious as to whether this represents a systematic error in thinking, or is supported by a substantive moral theory. For a consequentialist, judging harmful actions as worse than inaction would indeed be inconsistent, but deontological ethics may, and normally does, draw a moral distinction between doing and allowing.

- [WikipediA]

Day to Day  Article & Comments (1)

Results

Around 85% would switch tracks in the first scenario, and 90% would not push the man off the overpass.

Myside | 04/04/2011, 01:36 [Reply]

Add a Comment
Verification (Required)
 authimage
Your comment will appear once it is approved and
your e-mail address will NOT be shared

Main Entry:   spew   Pronunciation:   \ˈspyü\
Function: verb
Etymology: Middle English, from Old English spīwan; akin to Old High German spIwan to spit, Latin spuere, Greek ptyein   First Known Use: before 12th century

intransitive verb
  1. VOMIT
  2. to come forth in a flood or gush
  3. to ooze out as if under pressure : EXUDE
transitive verb
  1. VOMIT
  2. to send or cast forth with vigor or violence or in great quantity <a volcano spewing out ash> —often used with out —spew·er noun
Land where drunk cows swim and home to my daily hand