2024 callout post

[librarius]

Comments

the trolley problem

[librarius]

Septem

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Username: VII
Civilian Identity: Teacher
Age: ...young in a sense. Fairly old in others.
Species: Magician
Origin: September

A trolley is headed down the tracks at high speed, towards a fork. On its current path, five people are tied to the tracks. You stand in front of a lever to switch the tracks to the other path, where only one person is tied to the tracks. Assume the trolley cannot be safely stopped before it hits the people, and they cannot be freed before the trolley gets there. What do you do?

It's not my place to interfere, so I wouldn't.

[ A minute or so later. ]

But the correct answer is easy and straightforward; pull the level to switch the tracks and save five at the expense of one.

credit

user ⛧⃝FALLENANGELOFREBELLION⛧⃝ has replied!

[shadowkin]

How foolish. You’ve erred on both counts, Magician of September.

A question such as this is always a trap.

[librarius]

A trap? It's a morality puzzle disguised as a logic puzzle to test others, but—

What do you mean?

[shadowkin]

Answer me this first: is this your world?

[librarius]

No, of course not.

[shadowkin]

Then don’t you think it stands to reason that you cannot immediately discern the intent of a thing like this?

It could be an icebreaker. But that’s the best case scenario....

[librarius]

Yes, but does that have any real effect on the answer? Perhaps Juniper would know better than I on something like this, but a fact is a fact regardless of how it's used or interpreted.

But if it's an icebreaker; I wouldn't do well on those...

[shadowkin]

Of course it has an effect on the answer: there are infinite variables in something from a different world, some of which may be unimaginable.

Just as introducing us into the equation is unpredictable, even as a mere icebreaker.

[librarius]

So your argument is that the logic of this world is different than anything either of us could imagine, therefore any answer would be one that's incorrect from the start?

. . .

I can see that being feasible, but if that were the case I would hope they would have defined their logic and rules from the onset. Going further, if it's just an icebreaker: do you believe you've learned something about me?

[shadowkin]

Does the answer not then become meaningless? Or perhaps it is only meaningful in a world such as this.

There isn’t much defined here. But I’ve certainly learned something. You… are an individual who needs more imagination, and less rules.

[librarius]

...perhaps, yes. I'd like to know the real answer, but—

It's as you've said. As the September Magician, I record, I don't interpret. I wasn't created to weigh answers.


Unfortunately.

[shadowkin]

An answer here is only as real as the world, and its intentions. There is much to investigate.

The magic of legacy, was it? Who is responsible for the magic of interpretation? This Juniper of yours?

[librarius]

[ there really is, isn't there. septem chooses to simply nod, not yet familiar with this method of communication to know that the other can't see it. ]

I've never been referred to in that way, but that's incorrect. Juniper however, prefers not to use magic but their fists instead. They judge the dead on their merit and deeds after I have documented their life.

[shadowkin]

[I regret to inform you that Shadow is probably fucking slamming his keyboard like dollar discount Light Yagami regardless of lack of physical audience.]

The magic and the muscle… The record and the judgment… It seems this world reaches even into the afterlife. Small wonder the trolley problem is a true conundrum for you.

[librarius]

[ if septem could see he would have so many questions, probably. ]

Except in rare circumstances, I only interact with the spirits of the dead. Many social situations would prove difficult for me...

But you seem to be taking all of this in stride.

[shadowkin]

[Does he really want to know the answers though.]

I have encountered things far stranger in both heaven and earth.

But the spirits of the dead make poor conversation, I think, in most circumstances. There are exceptions, of course.

[librarius]

[ yes. ]

They're often hurt, angry, lost, or inconsolable. It's not something I can blame them for, but largely, I just listen until they have nothing more to say.

@owen

[sicklysweet]

What a cowardly answer. Take action instead of being passice and pathetic.

Besides, the best thing to do would to just kill all of them. Who cares about six people who were dumb enough to get trapped like that? Just let their guts be splattered on the tracks like sticky jam dripping off a scone.

[i can't remember if trains are canon in mhyk but airships exist so fuck it]

[librarius]

I wasn't created for action.

[ that comes rather quickly compared to a delay in the next message. ]

...that's a descriptive image. Are you a baker?

[sicklysweet]

So you were created to be useless.

[is that really the best question to ask right now, sir...]

No, I'm not. Do only bakers have the right to enjoy scones with jam?

[librarius]

No, to record history.

Of course not. But the fact that you used pastries to describe morbid imagery made me think it was possible. Then, do you simply love sweets?

[sicklysweet]

Recording history isn't all that useful when nobody will care about the events of the past, so is it really that important of a purpose?

It's not that deep, but if you want to give me a cake I wouldn't mind.

[Not quite as enjoyable as stealing candy from a baby, but sometimes a man just wants sugar, okay?]

[librarius]

That's wrong. History is remembered one way or another.

...not particularly, my apologies.

[ at least he apologized??? ]