Skip to main content

Would you sacrifice one person to save five? - Eleanor Nelsen

5,271,924 Views

37,077 Questions Answered

TEDEd Animation

Let’s Begin…

Imagine you’re watching a runaway trolley barreling down the tracks, straight towards five workers. You happen to be standing next to a switch that will divert the trolley onto a second track. Here’s the problem: that track has a worker on it, too — but just one. What do you do? Do you sacrifice one person to save five? Eleanor Nelsen details the ethical dilemma that is the trolley problem.


In surveys, how do people say they would respond to the classic trolley problem?

About TED-Ed Animations

TED-Ed Animations feature the words and ideas of educators brought to life by professional animators. Are you an educator or animator interested in creating a TED-Ed Animation? Nominate yourself here »

Meet The Creators

  • Educator Eleanor Nelsen
  • Director Eoin Duffy
  • Animator Tyler Morgan, Super Dasil, Mahesh, Hovsepyan Karen, Cooper Custom
  • Sound Designer David Kamp
  • Associate Producer Jessica Ruby
  • Content Producer Gerta Xhelo
  • Editorial Producer Alex Rosenthal
  • Narrator Addison Anderson

More from The Big Questions