The Mess Made By Philosophy

By Sahana Vamsee

This is an intercourse between the different perspectives of the same person, a person in a rather distressing situation. Humans have a certain annoying habit of assigning value to anything and everything in the universe. The idea is to hold on to as much value as possible, for that benefits everyone. But everyone’s moral compass is ever so slightly distinct. And to test these small differences, we imagine different scenarios, a plethora of mortifying situations to find out what carries value in our hearts and the moral laws each one holds true to ourselves. One such “thought experiment” is the infamous “trolley experiment”, which is what this argument with oneself given below depicts.

You have to do something.

But time seems to have stopped, as you recall what put you in such a situation.

You are just another worker in the railway, taking a small chai break when you hear a shriek. 3 children fell into the track below your floor. You see a train hurling towards them. That's when you suddenly remember the lever which needs to be pulled to make the train switch tracks and save the kids. And that's well within your reach. As you take a glimpse on the other track, the air in your lungs is sucked out. There he was, dawdling between the railway sleepers double his size, your nephew lay intensely focusing on the colour of the gravel. Here 3 unknown kids are screaming for your help, and there is 1 baby, but your nephew.

(the tormented debate begins)

“3 lives here, 1 life there. Seems like an easy but heartbreaking choice, right?”Your common sense whispers.

“But he is your nephew, don’t you owe it to your sister to save him?” squeaked your mind.

“3 lives matter more than one, no matter whose it is. You need to sacrifice. That’s what's righteous.” said your common sense backed by a corner of your heart.

“But a sacrifice is made by the choice of the one being sacrificed. Just because he is your nephew doesn’t mean you have the right to make him a sacrifice.” screamed your morality.

“You can argue all you want, but numbers don't lie. do they?” mumbled your brain.

“Ohh yes they can lie. Will you be ready to face your sister or 3 unknown faces, all faces letting out streaks of tears cutting through their face, gleaming with blame and sadness” declared your conscience.

You shake your head out of this and blink once. Staring straight at your choice, you seal your eyes, hands shaking on the lever.

The conversation ends here, but the choice is up to you, reader. Your choice and reasons tell about you. But again, this is more related to how and who you value over whom. There is no right or wrong. So think through once, and whisper the answer to yourself.

Or don't. This is a philosophical thought experiment that we as a society need to make at some time, when dealing with options like automatic vehicle’s decision making algorithm. When we come to that level, we can take a call. Whatever happens to be your answer, know one thing. Life can throw anything at you. So don't waste time dreading over anything and everything and spend time with those who you value more than the world.

By Sahana Vamsee