[ExI] trolley problem and doing nothing. was: RE: paranoia risk

[Anders Sandberg]

The Kitty Genovese case has become a bit of a myth; the real story is as 
always a bit more ambiguous. But "Diffusion of Responsibility" is a very 
real thing, and deeply problematic. If you are in trouble and a group 
looks on helplessly, point at one of them and say: "You: help me." That 
breaks the symmetry. Official first responders also tend to do it even 
in off-duty.

Generally the acts/omission distinction has produced reams of ethical 
arguments. While philosophically and sometimes legally it doesn't make 
sense, it clearly influences how people actually act. Real-world fears 
of legal effects can be controlled for in trolley examples, but the 
difference still remains. But that doesn't make peoples behavioral bias 
the correct way of acting.



On 2016-01-16 15:33, spike wrote:
>
> *>…**On Behalf Of *William Flynn Wallace
>
> >…case of Kitty Genovese (1964), who was killed, stabbed, in front of 
> dozens of people who did nothing, not even call the police.
>
> There was no question of legalities - calling the police threatened no 
> one. bill w ​
>
> BillW, on the contrary sir.
>
> I don’t know in this particular case if calling the constables would 
> have resulted in personal risk to whoever made the call, but in many 
> modern situations I would assume it.
>
> The Genovese case was about personal responsibility or even personal 
> risk so much as spreading of responsibility.  Given sufficient numbers 
> of able-bodied witnesses, no one does anything.
>
> I was involved in something analogous to that.  I personally witnessed 
> a security violation, along with about twenty others.  I was one of 
> the lower ranking people present.  No one reported it. Months later, 
> someone mentioned it to the head of security for that facility, who 
> was most annoyed with all of us.  He made us review security 
> procedures in an hour long course on our own time.  Had it been five 
> in the room, good chance all five would have reported.  In that case, 
> there was zero risk of retribution and zero chance of commendation for 
> reporting.
>
> Regarding the Genovese case, I can imagine neighborhoods where bad 
> things happen and the local constabulary are never invited.
>
> spike
>
>
>
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-- 
Dr Anders Sandberg
Future of Humanity Institute
Oxford Martin School
Oxford University

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