The Railway Track

Have you all heard of an ‘ethical dilemma’? Here is a situation. There is a railway track that diverges into two separate tracks after a point in time. The train is to reach its destination by traveling on the left track. Now, four little kids have come to play. While three of the four kids know that the train will pass by the left track, they choose to play there anyway. Who follows rules anyway, right? Then, there’s this saint of a child, very obedient and all, who decides her life is more important and plays all by herself along the track on the right. The locomotive driver is unaware of these children playing, is driving along at full speed, and at the last minute, he notices these four children.

Right, here’s where we need an ‘ethical’ solution. What should the driver do? Veer off to the right, which is not the track he needed to get to his destination? This way, the child who is being righteous will be killed. What if he turns to his left? The three wrong-doers will be killed, yet, that is the track he would have to pass over to reach his station. What is ‘ethically correct’ in such a situation?

Another ‘ethical’ something. Like that wasn’t enough.

I thought I’d tweak this circumstance just a little bit. It’s quite impossible to come up with a humane solution, anyway. Let’s assume now that this righteous saint of a kid is badly thirsty. She decides to run back home to get some water. Meanwhile, on our train, there is a person who is having an attack. Their health being fragile, they have to get to a hospital as soon as possible. Our driver is under tremendous pressure. He has to get this young patient to safety! Let’s note here that the right track leads to nowhere, and the left track, to a town with hospital facilities.

Our poor patient aboard XYZ express is suffering, is nearing death! Rush, rush, train driver! The driver is speeding up, and when he’s reached top speed, he notices these children. Blessed little troublemakers! What did our driver do to be put in such an unfortunate position? He is panicking. The doctor on board his train is pleading with him, begging him to be faster. Every second counts! Yet, it’s one life versus three lives! (Stupid little children, making our piteous driver the antihero! What was he to do?) The right track is welcoming now. There’s no one running over it, and it appears to our driver, a worry-free zone. If only he could get rid of this patient. Oh, if only he could jump off for just a minute to shoo these kiddos! What do you think he should do? Right or left? Right or wrong?

(This was my first task for Title week! Thank you for this title. I’m sure we all have some brain-wracking to do!)