marine biology is so scary because it’s such a small field. i was giving a talk on cetaceans and afterward a woman approached me with her husband and she said, “you did very well. [husband’s name] actually pioneered the research and published the first paper on that. We were very impressed by you.”
Which is such a scientific interpretation/public education win I will cherish forever but also for the rest of my life any time I give a talk I will be haunted by the knowledge that the world’s leading expert who literally discovered/invented the topic might be in the room,
which is like, the opposite of what you’re supposed to do for stage fright. In fact I never used to experience stage fright but now I will.
the “purpose” of the trolley problem isn’t to artificially manufacture a way to save everybody. The question it asks is whether it’s morally better to commit an intentional act of violence that harms fewer people or to not intentionally commit harm even if the result is to cause more harm than the intentional act. Furthermore, the crucial element is that you don’t have time to do anything besides nothing or the very simple act of switching the tracks. It is not a commentary on solving a broken system or a creative writing exercise. All trying to “fix” the trolley problem does is highlight your discomfort with difficult questions and scenarios.