Is it right to sacrifice the few to save the many?

New research has found that while some humans are capable of sacrificing one life to save many, their decision has roots found in the minds of psychopaths. The study, carried out by the University of Plymouth, wanted to compare what people ‘said’ they would do to whether or not they would then actually do it.

Is sacrificing one life to save the lives of many?

Sacrificing one life to save others — research shows psychopaths’ force for ‘greater good’ New research shows that people would sacrifice one person to save a larger group of people – and in addition, the force with which they carry out these actions could be predicted by psychopathic traits.

What is the greatest good that man should achieve?

“The greatest good for a man [is] to discuss virtue everyday, for the unexamined life,” solemnly declared Socrates “is not worth living” (38a). Thus, to live an examined life is to care for one’s soul by being virtuous and constantly seeking wisdom. …

What is the greater good theory?

Utilitarianism holds that the most ethical choice is the one that will produce the greatest good for the greatest number. It is the only moral framework that can be used to justify military force or war.

Is the Trolley Problem A paradox?

The trolley problem is an ethical paradox, which forces us reflect on our own values and biases. Though the fictitious problem involves the subject making a quick decision, the exercise is useful precisely because it shows how hard making such a decision would be in practice.

What does he say is the greatest good for a man why?

He says that the greatest good for a man is to discuss virtue everyday and those other things about which you hear him conversing about. He says this is because the unexamined life is not worth living.

Why is it wrong to sacrifice the few to save the many?

In particular pay attention to the hospital ward section, which is a common real-life example of “Why is it wrong to sacrifice the few in order to save the many?”: The law of supply and demand tells us that something is worth what it is because that’s the price at which people are willing to buy and sell it.

Do you prefer to save one or five lives?

Your answer to this moral dilemma may reveal how popular you are They asked volunteers to choose between saving one person or five lives They say most people prefer to save a single innocent life than save many It is almost an impossible choice – deciding whether to sacrifice the life of one innocent person to save the lives of five others.

Can we trust those who decide to save lives?

However, the researchers also found that those who found the decision to save one life or save five more difficult tended to be trusted more than those who found the decision easy. Interestingly, where the person who might be sacrificed indicated a specific desire to live or a willingness to die, people favoured those who respected those wishes.

What is something as precious as a human life?

Consider something as precious (or as worthless) as a human life. If a small boy falls down a well, people will spend hundreds of thousands of dollars attempting to rescue him, and the newsmedia will spend millions of dollars worth of print and air time covering the story.