Is there a perfect solution to the trolley problem?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on the trolley problem and its implications for autonomous vehicles, highlighting the challenges of accountability in AI decision-making. Participants agree that the scenario is contrived, as real-world situations often allow for simpler solutions like braking. The conversation emphasizes the difference in accountability between human drivers and AI, noting that human instincts can lead to selfish decisions in emergencies. Overall, the consensus is that while the trolley problem raises important ethical questions, it may not accurately reflect the complexities of real-life driving scenarios.

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DaveC426913
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I've never seen a perfect solution to the trolley problem that lives entirely within the given parameters of the problem (i.e. does not introduce any components or actions that are not explicitly stated in the problem).



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If only all thorny problems like this were so easily sidestepped, @DaveC426913 🤦‍♂️

More seriously, I find the trolley problem genuinely interesting as applied to autonomous vehicles because the context ultimately seems to fall back to a cynical, "Who are we going to sue?" It is easy to hold a human driver accountable. Some disembodied machine intelligence? Not so much!
 
Melbourne Guy said:
More seriously, I find the trolley problem genuinely interesting as applied to autonomous vehicles because the context ultimately seems to fall back to a cynical, "Who are we going to sue?"
This has been batted around a lot.

I'd say the general consensus is it's a pretty contrived scenario where an AI is forced to choose. Simply braking mitigates almost all realistic scenarios.
 
DaveC426913 said:
I'd say the general consensus is it's a pretty contrived scenario where an AI is forced to choose. Simply braking mitigates almost all realistic scenarios.
Absolutely, @DaveC426913, and a lot of the AI-oriented ethical outrage fails to acknowledge that human drivers are generally selfish when it comes to accidents. We'll instinctually swerve away from another vehicle, putting our passengers in the line of fire. We'll work our way through this stage of resistance / adoption and at some point the young 'uns will look back and wonder at what all the fuss was about.
 

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