The Greater Good
Are you willing to sacrifice one person to save five lives? For many, the answer to this riddle is obvious, as most would choose to prevent the greatest number of casualties. But if this theory proves to be true in real life, will your natural instincts remain the same? That’s the question at the heart of The Greater Good, the first episode of season two of the YouTube Red original series Mind Field.
This situation is based on the trolley problem, a classic theoretical problem that researchers have used for decades. A tram rides on two separate tracks. Five potential victims were tied up in one lane, while just one was tied up in the second lane. If you were controlling the lever, would you choose to continue the direct route and kill five people, or would you switch lanes and only endanger one person? Do fear, guilt and worry freeze you? This setting has long been used to assess our basic moral and ethical instincts.
To bring this theoretical dilemma to life, the filmmakers created a lavish production featuring an actual freight train, hired actors to play the absent-minded railroad workers, and handpicked test subjects oblivious to the experiment in front of them .
Another interesting thread of the documentary’s narrative involves a broader perspective on such scientific tests and their ultimate responsibility to their subjects. The effort itself is another example of determining the common good. Did their obsession with these experiments cause irreparable psychological trauma? Is the information collected worth the risk to uninformed participants?
In looking for the difference between “instinct” and “philosophical reflection,” the filmmakers consulted experts in the field of psychology and Pepperdine University’s institutional review board. They receive valuable feedback on how to set up a successful experiment while limiting potential harm to subjects.
The Greater Good is engaging, insightful, and exciting.
Directed by: Michael Stevens
