25 respondents on 'Dark Thought Experiment'

1

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A train is going down a track where 2 adults are trapped. You can flick a switch to direct the train unto another track, where only 1 adult is trapped. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Do you flick the swith?

25 respondents

SORT

Yes

No

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2

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A train is going down a track where 10 adults are trapped. You can flick a switch to direct the train unto another track, where only 1 adult is trapped. -----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Do you flick the swith?

25 respondents

SORT

Yes

No

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3

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A train is going down a track where one 8yo child is trapped. You can flick a switch to direct the train unto another track, where a 30yo adult is trapped.-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Do you flick the swith?

24 respondents

SORT

Yes

No

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4

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A train is going down a track where one 8yo child is trapped. You can flick a switch to direct the train unto another track, where Five 30yo adults are trapped. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Do you flick the swith?

25 respondents

SORT

Yes

No

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5

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A train is going down a track where one 8yo child is trapped. You can flick a switch to direct the train unto another track, where Five 80yo adults are trapped.------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Do you flick the swith?

25 respondents

SORT

Yes

No

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6

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A train is going down a track where one 8yo child is trapped. You can flick a switch to direct the train unto another track, where Ten 30yo adults are trapped. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Do you flick the swith?

25 respondents

SORT

Yes

No

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7

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A train is going down a track where 10 adults are trapped. A stranger is standing next to the track. Pushing the stranger unto the track would kill him form sure, but would stop the train preventing the certain death of 10 people.--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Do you push the stranger unto the track?

25 respondents

SORT

Yes

No

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8

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A kidnapper has taken a victim in a building. You are the guy in charge of the operation to rescue the victim. One of your elite marksman informs you that he has a clear shot to kill the kidnapper. Any other option would result in the victim being dead X% of the time, while (100-X)% of the time, either both would end up alive, or the victim ends up alive and the kidnapper dead anyway. ---------------------------------------------------- How high would X have to be for you to give the order to take the shot?

25 respondents

SORT

60% of the time, the victim is dead

50% of the time, the victim is dead

40% of the time, the victim is dead

30% of the time, the victim is dead

20% of the time, the victim is dead

10% of the time, the victim is dead

1% of the time, the victim is dead

0.1% of the time, the victim is dead

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9

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Imagine you possess the ability to know with perfect accuracy the probability that one person would commit a crime such as murder or rape during his life. You also possess the ability to instantly and remotely put to death anyone you want. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Each group will be given a probability (90%+, 80%+, etc) and a number representing how many people are in that group (only adults are considered), for a total population of 6 billions people. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------A 80%+ probability means that each member of the group have at least a 80% chance to turn into a murderer or rapist during his lifetime, and therefore at most a 20% chance not to. For every 100 members of this group at least 80 will turn into a murderer/rapist, and at most 20 won't. The 90%+ group is therefore included in the 80%+ group, included in the 70%+ group, etc. Cases of self defense or accident are not considered. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Using your ability means potentially preventing victims to be murdered/raped, by killing potential perpetrators. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Would you choose to use your ability at all, and if you do, where would you draw the line?

25 respondents

SORT

99%+ probability of crime | 50,000 potential criminals | 0.0008% of worldwide population

90%+ probability of crime | 200,000 potential criminals | 0.0033% of worldwide population

80%+ probability of crime | 500,000 potential criminals | 0.0083% of worldwide population

70%+ probability of crime | 1,500,000 potential criminals | 0.025% of worldwide population

50%+ probability of crime | 10,000,000 potential criminals | 0.16% of worldwide population

30%+ probability of crime | 25,000,000 potential criminals | 0.4% of worldwide population

10%+ probability of crime | 60,000,000 potential criminals | 1% of worldwide population

1%+ probability of crime | 200,000,000 potential criminals | 3.3% of worldwide population

I would not use my abilities

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10

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What factor was more relevant for you to make your choice?

25 respondents

SORT

The probability that a person would turn into a murderer/rapist

The number of people to be killed

Both

None, I didn't use my ability

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11

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Would it make a difference if we included all ages in the goups (children included)

25 respondents

SORT

No, I would still put a child to death if there was a good chance that he would be a murderer/rapist in the future.

Yes, I would not put a child to death, even if i knew that there was a high chance for him to murder/rape someone during his lifetime

I haven't used my abilities for adults, much less for children

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