The Boulder Problem

ABSTRACT The authors both accept the non‐consequentialist principle that prohibits an agent from killing one to save five. The authors argue about whether that principle similarly prohibits an agent from letting herself kill one in order to save five: Byrne insists it does; Sridharan insists it doesn't. The authors do not resolve much, but they consider a variety of cases along the way. In the end, the authors suspect that their disagreement stems from a deeper disagreement about whether the relevant moral facts are grounded in metaphysical facts or just further moral facts.