The Ethics of Thought Experiments
Grammar: Conditionals
A Level 5 English lesson exploring psychology.
What's in this lesson
A Level 5 (advanced) ESL lesson on psychology, practising conditionals. The worksheet has a reading, target vocabulary, a grammar reference with practice and discussion questions.
From the reading: The Ethics of Thought Experiments
In a 2019 study published in Nature, researchers collected 40 million decisions from participants in 233 countries using the Moral Machine — an online platform built by MIT to measure how people respond to ethical dilemmas involving autonomous vehicles. The results were striking: cultural background predicted moral preference more reliably than any philosophical training. If people were raised in collectivist societies, they were significantly more likely to sacrifice individuals to save groups. If they came from cultures that prioritise personal rights, they tended to protect individuals, even at greater collective cost. What would you do, if the choice were entirely yours?
Vocabulary
- would
- were
Grammar: Conditionals
- Second conditional
- If she were a moral agent, she would intervene immediately. — hypothetical present or future; were preferred for all subjects
- Hedging with second
- If we were truly impartial, we might sacrifice comfort for a stranger. — might/could softens certainty
Discussion questions
- Is it ever right to harm one person to protect five others?
- Do you trust your gut instinct more than logical reasoning in moral choices?
- Should moral rules apply equally to strangers and to people you love?
The Ethics of Thought Experiments
Grammar: Conditionals
What's in this lesson:
Full lesson plan with reading, grammar, vocabulary, and discussion.
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