# How would you respond to the trolley problem?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-respond-to-the-trolley-problem/1002430>\
**Category:** Great Debates\
**Created:** [June 3, 2024, 10:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-respond-to-the-trolley-problem/1002430 "2024-06-03T10:44:30Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 1\
**Showing post:** 238

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**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\
**Post date:** [June 10, 2024, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-would-you-respond-to-the-trolley-problem/1002430/238 "2024-06-10T15:13:14Z")

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> [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](#):
>
> I struggle to see how this is anything other than an argument over semantics, given the clarifications I’ve given.

Call it semantics if you like, it’s still an important distinction because ISTM you’re laying a very poor foundation here on which you, or others, could build arguments.  
Not doing X does _not_ entail you _chose_ not to do X, you may simply have _not thought of_ X.  
Did I choose not to go to the Granadan school of Master Wizards? No, I’d never even heard of it.

And in terms of Thunderscrimble, you don’t even know the rules of the game yet. For all you know, sitting calmly reading a discussion forum would constitute “playing”. Therefore by your logic, you “chose” to play…it’s an absurd way to define “choice”.

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