国外道德困境案例

伦理困境也被称为道德悖论，是指陷于几个道德命令之间的明显冲突，如果遵守其中一项，就将违犯另一项的情形。Trolleyproblem电车难题这是一个伦理学的思想实验。其大致内容是：假设一辆有轨电车失去控制，即将撞上前面的5个人，这时可以通过搬动道岔来避免该事故，但另外一条岔道上却有1个人，那么，是否可以通过牺牲这一个人的生命而拯救另外五个人？此难题可以变化，如一条岔道有一人，另外一条可以改成更多人或更少人，另外五人可以改成罪犯。TheOvercrowdedLifeboatIn1842,ashipstruckanicebergandmorethan30survivorswerecrowdedintoalifeboatintendedtohold7.Asastormthreatened,itbecameobviousthatthelifeboatwouldhavetobelightenedifanyoneweretosurvive.Thecaptainreasonedthattherightthingtodointhissituationwastoforcesomeindividualstogooverthesideanddrown.Suchanaction,hereasoned,wasnotunjusttothosethrownoverboard,fortheywouldhavedrownedanyway.Ifhedidnothing,however,hewouldberesponsibleforthedeathsofthosewhomhecouldhavesaved.Somepeopleopposedthecaptain'sdecision.Theyclaimedthatifnothingweredoneandeveryonediedasaresult,noonewouldberesponsibleforthesedeaths.Ontheotherhand,ifthecaptainattemptedtosavesome,hecoulddosoonlybykillingothersandtheirdeathswouldbehisresponsibility;thiswouldbeworsethandoingnothingandlettingalldie.Thecaptainrejectedthisreasoning.Sincetheonlypossibilityforrescuerequiredgreateffortsofrowing,thecaptaindecidedthattheweakestwouldhavetobesacrificed.Inthissituationitwouldbeabsurd,hethought,todecidebydrawinglotswhoshouldbethrownoverboard.Asitturnedout,afterdaysofhardrowing,thesurvivorswererescuedandthecaptainwastriedforhisaction.Ifyouhadbeenonthejury,howwouldyouhavedecided?AFather'sAgonizingChoiceYouareaninmateinaconcentrationcamp.Asadisticguardisabouttohangyoursonwhotriedtoescapeandwantsyoutopullthechairfromunderneathhim.Hesaysthatifyoudon'thewillnotonlykillyoursonbutsomeotherinnocentinmateaswell.Youdon'thaveanydoubtthathemeanswhathesays.Whatshouldyoudo?Sophie'sChoice,notinGrassianInthenovelSophie'sChoice,byWilliamStyron,aPolishwoman,SophieZawistowska,isarrestedbytheNazisandsenttotheAuschwitzdeathcamp.Onarrival,sheishonoredfornotbeingaJewbybeingallowedachoice:Oneofherchildrenwillbesparedthegaschamberifshechooseswhichone.Inanagonyofindecision,asbothchildrenarebeingtakenaway,shesuddenlydoeschoose.Theycantakeherdaughter,whoisyoungerandsmaller.Sophiehopesthatherolderandstrongersonwillbebetterabletosurvive,butshelosestrackofhimandneverdoeslearnofhisfate.Didshedotherightthing?Yearslater,hauntedbytheguiltofhavingchosenbetweenherchildren,Sophiecommitssuicide.Shouldshehavefeltguilty?TheFatManandtheImpendingDoomAfatmanleadingagroupofpeopleoutofacaveonacoastisstuckinthemouthofthatcave.Inashorttimehightidewillbeuponthem,andunlessheisunstuck,theywillallbedrownedexceptthefatman,whoseheadisoutofthecave.[But,fortunately,orunfortunately,someonehaswithhimastickofdynamite.]Thereseemsnowaytogetthefatmanloosewithoutusing[that]dynamitewhichwillinevitablykillhim;butiftheydonotuseiteveryonewilldrown.Whatshouldtheydo?Sincethefatmanissaidtobeleadingthegroup,heisresponsiblefortheirpredicamentandreasonablyshouldvolunteertobeblownup.Thedilemmabecomesmoreacuteifwesubstituteapregnantwomanforthefatman.Shewouldhavebeenurgedbytheotherstogofirstoutofthecave.APoisonousCupofCoffeeTom[/Jane],hatinghis[/her]wife[/husband]andwantingher[/him]dead,putspoisoninher[/his]coffee,therebykillingher[/him].Joe[/Debbie]alsohateshis[/her]wife[/husband]andwouldlikeher[/him]dead.Oneday,Joe's[/Debbie's]wife[/husband]accidentallyputspoisoninher[/his]coffee,thinkingit'scream.Joe[/Debbie]hastheantidote,buthe[/she]doesnotgiveittoher[/him].Knowingthathe[/she]istheonlyonewhocansaveher[/him],he[/she]letsher[/him]die.IsJoe's[/Debbie's]failuretoactasbadasTom's[/Jane's]action?TheValueofaPromiseAfriendconfidestoyouthathehascommittedaparticularcrimeandyoupromisenevertotell.Discoveringthataninnocentpersonhasbeenaccusedofthecrime,youpleadwithyourfriendtogivehimselfup.Herefusesandremindsyouofyourpromise.Whatshouldyoudo?Ingeneral,underwhatconditionsshouldpromisesbebroken?