The present essay deals with an analysis of J. J. Thomson’s (1976) essay "Killing, Letting Die, and the Trolley Problem" which delves into ethics and value theory. The analysis is held in three parts: the first part includes an introduction to the topicality of this essay an overview of the selected philosophical topic and a brief consideration of its problem; the second part considers a discussion of the content and analysis of its philosophical viewpoints and final part examines conclusive results of the discussion considering this philosophical subject matter.
Morality has always been a primary foundation for many concepts, perceptions, and phenomena such as religion or governmental guidance, but the question remains: What makes it accurate? Moreover, can it ever be true regarding being morally right, or is it possible sometimes to have it otherwise, and if so, would it involve the moral permissibility of certain sacrifices or something else instead? J.J. Thomson's (1976) essay “Killing, Letting Die, and the Trolley Problem” is a perfect example of a discussion of this matter. The Trolley Problem in moral philosophy was first posed by Philippa Foot (1967) as a qualified defence of the doctrine of double effect; however, the Trolley Problem was elevated to another level through Thomson's essay as it became popularised and is centred on the doctrine of double effect and the notion and other more profound aspects of it which sparked extensive academic debate and has been used to debate various ethical perspectives (Online1). Therefore, her work carries significant importance in the field of ethics, earning a high level of respect for her contributions to the domain of philosophy overall.…
