Would You Kill the Fat Man?

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Join a philosophical discussion at St Peter's Church

The QUIDAM programme at St Peter's Church in Black Lion Lane offers a fascinating discussion on Thursday, 20 Janary entitled Would You Kill the Fat Man?

The question being asked by radio feature maker and writer David Edmonds, who wrote a book with the same title and freelance writer and editor Magnus Grimond seems bizarre - but But it’s one variation of a puzzle that has baffled moral philosophers for almost half a century and that more recently has come to preoccupy neuroscientists, psychologists, and other thinkers as well.

A runaway train is racing toward five men who are tied to the track. Unless the train is stopped, it will inevitably kill all five men. You are standing on a footbridge looking down on
the unfolding disaster. However, a fat man, a stranger, is standing next to you: if you push him off the bridge, he will topple onto the line and, although he will die, his chunky body will stop the train, saving five lives. Would you kill the fat man?

The discussion begins at 7.30pm and entrance is free, with a suggested donation of £10. Students can enter free.

David Edmonds is a radio feature maker at the BBC World Service. He studied at Oxford University, has a PhD in Philosophy from the Open University, has held fellowships at the University of Chicago and the University of Michigan, and is the author of a number of books on popular philosophy.

His book Would you kill the fat man? The Trolley Problem and What Your Answer Tells Us about Right and Wrong was selected as the Editors’ Choice by the New York Times Book Review.

This event is followed by The SingWest Summer Concert on 26 June, with the choir showing off they have been working on all year. They say if Bohemian Rhapsody was everyone’s favourite film tune – just wait till you hear them!

With drinks in the church garden (of the Cross Keys pub) from 7 pm. Free entry, with retiring collection to support the work of the Quidam programme.

You can find out more about SingWest Hammersmith, who meet at the church between 7.30pm and 9pm every Monday during term time on its website. The final session this term for Hammersmith is 24 June.

 

June 18, 2019