Ethical Dilemmas - the Trolley Problem with AI
Objective: This worksheet aims to introduce students to the "trolley problem" as a fundamental ethical dilemma, encouraging them to evaluate moral decision-making through the lens of different philosophical theories and their modern application in artificial intelligence and autonomous driving.
Content and methods: The worksheet uses a multimedia approach, starting with a video-based discussion of the trolley scenario. It then provides informative texts on utilitarianism, deontology, virtue ethics, and moral relativism to facilitate theoretical understanding. Students apply these concepts through comprehension questions, analytical writing tasks, and a creative "pitch" presentation where they role-play as programmers to address the ethical challenges of self-driving cars.
Competencies:
- Ethical reasoning and moral judgment
- Application of philosophical theories to modern technology
- Critical thinking and perspective-taking
- Argumentation and presentation skills
- Reading and media literacy
Target group: Grade 10 and above
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Target group and level
Grade 10 and above
Subjects
Ethical Dilemmas - the Trolley Problem with AI
The trolley problem
Watch the following video and then share your thoughts on the experiment with the rest of the class:
- How would you behave?
- Is there a fundamental difference between the first and the second situation?
- What other factors could make the situations even more difficult? (For example, imagine the person you would have to sacrifice to save five others is your best friend.)
Further information
Now learn more about this thought experiment in the following text and answer the questions below it.
Select the correct answer from the options provided.
A philosophical reflection
Now read the following text about a philosophical school of thought through which the trolley problem can be considered. Take notes if necessary.
Your notes:
You as a programmer
Now your argumentative skills are needed: Imagine you are a programmer for self-driving cars and a representative of the aforementioned school of thought. How would you program the AI in the car in the event of an accident - to protect the most people, randomly, or to save the passengers of the vehicle? Use all the information you've learned and gather your arguments in a pitch to your boss, who expects a proposal from you for programming the latest collection!
Your notes:
Your pitch presentation
Now give your pitch presentation in front of the rest of the class.
Outlook
How do you envision the future with self-driving cars? Will the philosophical considerations from this worksheet play a role? What dangers might arise from a large number of self-driving cars in traffic? What advantages do you see?
Share your thoughts with the rest of the class.