You've seen the memes, but where does the “ trolley problem ” come from? The trolley problem is a famous thought experiment in virtue ethics first conceptualized by philosophers Philippa Foot and Judith Jarvis Thomson between 1967 and 1976. There are many variations of the trolley problem, though most share a common dilemma: do you kill one person to save a larger number? Do you kill or let die? The simplest form of the trolley problem goes something like this, according to Merriam-Webster : “Y…

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There is a runaway trolley barreling down the railway tracks. Ahead, on the tracks, there are five people tied up and unable to move. The trolley is headed straight for them. You are standing some distance off in the train yard, next to a lever. If you pull this lever, the trolley will switch to a different set of tracks. However, you notice that there is one person on the side track. You have two options: 1. Do nothing, in which case the trolley will kill the five people on the main track. 2. P