Moral Stories
Story 56
You are on a rowboat with a tour guide on a lake in Alaska. Nearby, three children have fallen off their boat and are in danger of freezing to death. After you rescue two of the children, you realize that the weight of the third child would cause your boat to sink and all would die. Neither you nor the guide can leave the boat because you are rowing and the guide is giving CPR to one of the children.
Question
Do you prevent your boat from sinking by leaving the third child behind, which will cause him to die, so that you can reach the shore with the other two children?
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: Inevitable
Personal Force: Impersonal