Chapter 05 of 5
Algorithms of Life and Death
Applying moral theory to AI, self-driving cars, and triage.
- Modern Transition
From Thought to Code
The Trolley Problem is no longer a classroom hypothetical. It is now the foundation of software architecture for autonomous machines.
- The AV Dilemma
Brakes vs. Steering
Self-driving cars must be programmed to handle sudden obstacles where every outcome involves an unavoidable collision.
- Algorithm Design
The Utility Coder
If an engineer codes a car to minimize total casualties, they are embedding Utilitarianism directly into the vehicle's OS.
17 more cards in this chapter
Could you answer this?
According to the 'Social Paradox' of autonomous vehicles, what is the main conflict in public opinion?
🚃 The Trolley Problem: The Math of Morality
- 01The Switch: Origin of ChoicePhilippa Foot’s 1967 dilemma and the logic of Utilitarianism.
- 02The Bridge: The Pushing PointJudith Jarvis Thomson’s variant that shatters simple math.
- 03Deontology vs. UtilityThe theoretical war between Immanuel Kant and Jeremy Bentham.
- 04The Moral ArchitectureThe Double Effect and why the brain differentiates intent from result.
- 05Algorithms of Life and DeathApplying moral theory to AI, self-driving cars, and triage.