this post was submitted on 14 Dec 2023
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No Stupid Questions

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An example would be a version of the trolley problem where you can either allow the track to remain on its current path which is empty, or divert it to harm an individual unnecessarily. This is a choice between a universally good outcome or a universally bad outcome.

Whereas the typical trolley problem is an ethical dilemma since both options are harmful and neither are ideal so it's choosing between 2 bad outcomes.

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[–] Pons_Aelius@kbin.social 16 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Obvious choice.

Self evident choice.

Unequivocal choice

[–] Lafari@lemmy.world 10 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] Lafari@lemmy.world 4 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Hoping for a better term than this

How about a moral shoe-in? :)

[–] Inucune@lemmy.world 8 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] Lafari@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

That describes whichever of the 2 options is morally correct more than the situation in which there is a clear correct option, doesn't it?

[–] infectoid@lemmy.world 6 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] Splitdipless@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 years ago (1 children)

certainty

I like this one the best. A dilemma is not necessarily that there's no good options, but rather the decision is difficult. Think of the time traveler killing Hitler problem: if you kill Hitler too early, he isn't globally hated anymore when time plays out, and you're just a murderer. Too late, and you've allowed so many people to die just to justify that he deserves to die... Where's the 'right time?' There's a giant spectra of time that you can make as a justification of when to kill Hitler.

[–] infectoid@lemmy.world 3 points 2 years ago

To quote myself, there’s no β€œethical certainty” when (hypothetically) travelling back in time. You can never know the untold devastation you will introduce or avoid by making major or even minor changes.

I love time travel stories but most of them really skip over some of the more complex issues.

Which reminds me of a fairly low budget movie that was actually not bad, Time Trap. Check it out if you can find it.

[–] dewritoninja@pawb.social 5 points 2 years ago (1 children)

Maybe just an ethical lemma.

[–] WiseThat@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 years ago

This is right. Di-lemma literally means two-options.

Lemma means one option.

[–] borf@lemmynsfw.com 4 points 2 years ago

This doesn't work as a more academic term but "slam dunk" is what came to mind πŸ˜‚

[–] pixeltree@lemmy.blahaj.zone 4 points 2 years ago

Straightforward

[–] some_guy 3 points 2 years ago

The right thing.

[–] AFaithfulNihilist@lemmy.world 2 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] Lafari@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

Don't want to start an applied ethics debate so that's why I used the modified trolley problem example

[–] cheeseburger@lemmy.ca 1 points 2 years ago

I always thought there should be an opposite word for dilemma, since dealing with a choice between two equally positive outcomes happens often in life.

[–] detalferous@lemm.ee 1 points 2 years ago

A unilemma? Monolemma?

[–] DroneRights@lemm.ee 1 points 2 years ago* (last edited 2 years ago)

A vevalemma. Vevaios is Greek for certain.