Evolutionary explanations of the trolley problem: evolutionary origins of human morality

Abstract

The Trolley Problem was originally described by philosopher Phillipa Foot (1967). The problem starts with a runaway train that could go one of two ways; if you (the operator) do nothing, then the trolley will kill five people (track A), but if you switch the tracks (track B) it would kill one person. There has been further research about the individual used for the action based track that only would kill one civilian. Past research using this paradigm has examined various factors, such as the age of potential victims and the relationship to the operator. From an evolutionary perspective, advancing one’s genes into the future is something of a bottom line. This can happen directly, through reproduction, or indirectly via helping kin. Past studies have shown that various factors come into consideration when choosing track A or B: age, gender of the person on the track and the participant, genetic relatedness, and relationship status. The evolutionary moral perspective provides a powerful framework for examining all the different factors that affect these decisions within one model.