Dani Katta PHI 2010 U07 Professor Harris 1 March 2024
Short Writing Assignment 6 – What’s The Issue? Identified Issue:
Should self-driving cars be programmed to prioritize the lives of their owners/occupants
over the lives of others in unavoidable collision scenarios?
Author's Position:
No, the author believes self-driving cars should not prioritize the lives of their
owners/occupants by default. Instead, the decision should be left to the owner/occupant. The
author argues that treating self-driving cars as extensions of their owners/occupants' wills
protects their rights and autonomy. The analogy is drawn to the relationship between a client and
an attorney, where the attorney must follow the client's direction regardless of the broader
consequences.
Challenge to Author's Position:
One reason that challenges the author's position is the ethical principle of utilitarianism,
which prioritizes the greatest good for the greatest number of people. By allowing self-driving
cars to prioritize the lives of their owners/occupants, even if it results in more significant harm to
others, it could potentially save more lives overall. This perspective argues that sacrificing one
