The “Runaway Trolley” and Mill's Happiness principle

1. Without summarizing the thought experiment, explain what the “Runaway Trolley” attempts to uncover in its 3 scenarios.
   a. Scenario #1: let the trolley run over 10 people
   b. Scenario #2: switch the track – save 10 and kill 1
   c. Scenario #3: push large man onto the track – save 10 and kill 1
2. Without summarizing the thought experiment, explain what Nozick’s “Happiness Machine” thought experiment demonstrates.
3. Without summarizing the thought experiment, explain what the “Lonesome Stranger” thought experiment attempts to uncover.
4. Explain Mill’s Happiness Principle and apply it to a particular ethical dilemma.
5. Explain Kant’s Universalizability Condition. What is its purpose?
6. Explain what a virtue tells you about a person. Using an example illustrate your answer.
7. What does it mean to say that being virtuous requires that you find the “mean”? Illustrate your explanation.

Sample Solution