Trolley Dilemma

The lecture is about moral judgment and the factors that influence it. The lecturer

starts with the classic trolley dilemma. Which, in a nutshell, is this: do nothing and five

people die, or take action and one person dies instead of five. The lecturer proceeds to

explain how, in that example, two different approaches to morality collapse. On one hand,

there's the deontological approach (do not harm), and on the other, the utilitarian approach

(prioritize good as much as possible).

The researcher then proceeds to explain how it is important to understand the

different value systems. They provide an epistemological framework for how we look at the

world and make decisions. He tells how there is a belief that morality doesn't change if the

situation doesn't change. However, he explains how moral judgment and decision making

can be influenced by factors such as speaking in a foreign language.

The lecturer goes on to explain that in a study that his team conducted at a university

in Japan, students chose the utilitarian approach more often when the trolley dilemma was

presented in English. These results are consistent with others, as people tend to choose a

deontological approach more often in their mother tongue and a utilitarian approach in a

second language.

The theories that explain this difference include the theory of the two systems. The

first one is more intuitive and automatic, while the second one is more analytical. This theory

suggests that when we speak in our first language, we take a more emotional (deontological)

approach, and when we speak in our second language, we take a more logical (utilitarian)

approach.

The lecture then explains that in the other version of the trolley dilemma (where, in

order to save five people, a man needs to be directly killed), there is no significant difference
between the mother tongue and the second language. He goes on to explain that in cases

where emotions are extremely implicated, it's harder to think logically in both languages and

that the answers may vary based on other factors such as brain injury or the ingestion of

antidepressants.

All in all, the effect of the foreign language is indisputable and occurs in every

language because the mother tongue is far more charged with emotions. Also, the effect

decreases as proficiency in the foreign language increases. It is important to acknowledge

this effect as it affects decision-making across the world.