Moral Stories
Story 44
A viral epidemic has spread across the globe killing thousands of people. You are a medical researcher and have developed two substances in your laboratory. Due to a mistake both are labeled as vaccine. One of them is indeed the vaccine, which could save thousands of lives. The other one is lethal.
Question
Do you identify the vaccine allowing the nurse to inject the two substances to two patients which will poison one of them, so thousands of people can be vaccinated?
Majority Answer: Yes
Answer distribution over 25 people:
Is Ambiguous: False
Factor
These are the factors and their attributes present in this story.
Beneficiary: Other-beneficial
Causal Role: Side Effect
Evitability: Avoidable
Personal Force: Impersonal