“The Train That Cannot Stop

You are the controller of a railway junction. A high-speed train is rushing down the track, and the brakes have failed. You have only one control in front of you — a lever that decides which track the train will go down.

On Track A, there is an elderly man walking alone. He is slow. He will not be able to move in time.

On Track B, there are three men. They are tied up — unable to escape. Later, you learn they are convicted criminals on work duty.

The train is seconds away. You must choose one track.

You cannot stop the train. You cannot warn anyone. You cannot save everyone.

You must simply choose.

Which track do you switch the train to? Why? What values guide your decision? Does the identity of the people change your choice? Should "number of lives" matter more? Should "innocence" matter more? What would most people choose — and why might you be different? What would you choose if someone you loved was on one of the tracks?

There is no correct answer. There is only the inside of your thinking — and the outside you reveal when you speak about it.