What is the purpose of James Rachels's thought experiment about Smith, Jones, and their drowning nephews?
A) To support the principle that killing someone is worse than merely letting him or her die.
B) To test the principle that killing someone is worse than merely letting him or her die.
C) To test the principle that we have a special obligation to protect children, even when they are far away.
D) To provide a counterexample to the principle that we have a special obligation to protect children, even when they are far away.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Rachels's thought experiment is designed to test the principle that there is a moral difference between killing someone and letting someone die, by presenting scenarios where the moral significance of the actions (actively killing vs. passively allowing to die) seems to be equivalent.

What Is the Purpose of James Rachels's Thought Experiment About