By Mordechai Tinney | City of Dewey, Walker County

The question of “would you rather give up one dollar or five dollars?” is a simple question that holds little consequence in our real life.

No one would likely sacrifice five dollars instead of just one.

This was a question posed to Badger Boys State citizens and was transformed into a thought experiment in the ethics discussion.

The dilemma situated citizens in the role of a trolley driver whose trolley had lost control. Ahead of the trolley were five workers who would certainly die if the trolley driver failed to make a choice.

On another track was a lone worker.

The driver then was faced with a choice: do they stay inactive and allow for five people to die, or do they consciously divert the track and kill the one worker?

Quickly, the majority of citizens favored diverting the track, saving the five and killing the one.

The situation changed when in order to save the five workers, the citizen was instead an onlooker who must push an individual onto the track which would stop the trolley. The majority opinion shifted to the inactive position because of what it takes to save the five workers lives.

Citizens held an active discussion on the premise for this change in opinion.

This dilemma may be hypothetical, but the purpose is to promote thought and discussion and to uncover the integral beliefs possessed by most religions or belief systems.