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…