Trolleyology (MORAL DILEMMAS + THE TROLLEY PROBLEM) with Dr. Joshua Greene

Train tracks. Split decisions. And a philosophy humdinger worth debating. Dr. Joshua Greene is a Harvard Psychology professor, neuroscientist, and *actual* Trolleyologist. This thought experiment pops up in everything from policy discussions to board games and looks at: What makes you a good person? What makes you a good person? How do you reason with people who make you scream into a jar like Yosemite Sam? How far would you go to save others? Which charities should get your money? What is active versus passive harm? And what would a monk do? Also: how neurodivergence influences moral decisions, religion used as a moral compass, and your new favorite skeleton on the planet.

Listen via Apple, Spotify or wherever you listen to podcasts. Ad-free episodes available by subscribing to SiriusXM Podcasts+. Start a free trial now on Apple Podcasts or by visiting siriusxm.com/podcastsplus.

Visit Dr. Greene’s website, his charity platform Giving Multiplier, and his online quiz game Tango

Buy his book, Moral Tribes: Emotion, Reason, and the Gap Between Us and Them, on Bookshop.org or Amazon

A donation went to Giving Multiplier


Links to things we discussed:

Buddhist perspective on the trolley problem?

How Would a Buddhist Monk Solve the Classic “Trolley Problem”?

Defusing political animosity in the United States with a cooperative online quiz game

Greater Happiness for a Greater Number

An integrative theory of prefrontal cortex function

Pushing Moral Buttons: The Interaction Between Personal Force and Intention in Moral Judgment

Of Sexual Irregularities by Jeremy Bentham – review

Jeremy Bentham: Prophet of Secularism

Self-driving Cars and an Age-old Buddhist Moral Dilemma


Other episodes you may enjoy:

Eudemonology (HAPPINESS)

Genocidology (CRIMES OF ATROCITY)

Obsessive-Compulsive Neurobiology (OCD)

Bonus Episode: The OCD Experience

Artificial Intelligence Ethicology (WILL A.I. CRASH OUT?)

Attention-Deficit Neuropsychology (ADHD)

Suicidology (SUICIDE PREVENTION & AWARENESS)

Dolorology (PAIN)

Molecular Neurobiology (BRAIN CHEMICALS)

Personality Psychology (PERSONALITIES)

Ferroequinology (TRAINS)


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Editing by Mercedes Maitland of Maitland Audio Productions and Jake Chaffee

Managing Director: Susan Hale

Scheduling Producer: Noel Dilworth 

Transcripts by Aveline Malek

Website by Kelly R. Dwyer

Theme song by Nick Thorburn

The BrainAlie Ward