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[–] 8 points 1 day ago (1 child)

The number of comments on this post dodging the question is frustrating. From a Utilitarian standpoint, pulling the lever is good. It doesn't decrease the collective good but at least one person (you) benefits. I'm not too firm on Kantian ethics, but I can't see how either action would consider the victims as a means or a goal in this constructed scenario. Accordingly, by Kantian ethics, it should be ethically neutral for you to pull the lever, though someone certainly is to blame for setting up this situation. However, I could also see a Kantian argument that one should never benefit from human suffering, even if one is not the cause of that suffering (based on the maxime of the action). Someone with a better understanding of Kant will have to resolve that one.

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