trolley-problem
/ˈtrɒl.i ˌprɒb.ləm/ IELTSAcademic
noun
A thought experiment in ethics. It asks what you should do when any choice causes harm, and one choice harms fewer people.
- The trolley problem has no easy answer.
- We discussed the trolley problem in class.
- It tests moral decision-making.
Adinary Nuance
A trolley problem is not a real-life trolley issue. It is a moral puzzle used in philosophy, so it is closer to a thought experiment than an everyday problem. People use it to compare hard choices, not to describe ordinary trouble.
In other languages
- Vietnamese
- bài toán xe điện
- Spanish
- dilema del tranvía
- Chinese
- 电车难题
- Japanese
- トロッコ問題
- Korean
- 트롤리 딜레마
Etymology
The term comes from an ethics thought experiment first discussed in the 1960s and 1970s. It imagines a runaway trolley and a forced choice between harmful outcomes.
Common phrases
the trolley problema classic trolley problema trolley-problem scenario
Synonyms
Related words
Frequently asked questions
- Is trolley problem a real-life situation?
- No. It is a philosophy example used to discuss hard moral choices.
- What is the difference between a trolley problem and a dilemma?
- A dilemma is any hard choice. A trolley problem is a specific ethical puzzle.
- Is trolley problem used in academic writing?
- Yes. It is common in philosophy, ethics, and AI discussions.