What Does It Mean To Pull The Lever?

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In order to understand if one should pull the lever or not pull the lever depends on what type of philosopher one is. If one is like Mill, an objectivist, one would always pull the lever to save the most amount of people. This is due to Mill wanting the greatest good for the greatest number. Even if there is your significant other and two other people at risk he would save the two people always. Mill does not put reason into his decision, also looks strictly at the numbers. Nietzsche also has his own views on pulling the lever to save your significant other. According to Nichomachean ethics, everyone is not morally equivalent. If circumstances and situations matters then not everyone is equal. Nietzsche describes “picking a price,” meaning you can’t treat all interests the same. If you believe in Nichomachean ethics you would decide that your significant other is more important than some other number of strangers. But you would have to decide how many is okay to let die and let you significant other live. …show more content…

Kant’s triangle is based on duty, goodwill and categorical/hypothetical imperative. The hypothetical is in regards to actions set by one’s own wants to an end. So for Kant, if your significant other is tied down to the railroad track and the train is headed directly for them. Yet, if you pull the lever you could save your significant other but would kill 30 people. Would you pull the lever? How many people would be to many people to kill just to save the life of your significant other? According to Kant, if you can’t will others to do something, then you can’t do it either. Yet, he understands that humans are self-interested, which is why it is a logical contradiction. Kant believes people would pull the lever because he knows people are self-interested even though it is a logical contradiction. Although, Kantian ethics have nothing to do with feeling, everything is all about

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