Judgment of actions: A thought experiment

1. There is a man sitting under a table


2. The following objects are placed on the table: a small vat of a concentrated acid and a guillotine-like blade


3. A curtain is drown over the table to separate the objects to a half of the table


4. If the vat of acid spills, it will burn a hole through the wood and kill the man underneath


5. If the blade is dropped, it will slice through the wood and kill the man underneath


6. On either side of the curtain, two men, A and B, are made to sit


7. Both of them are independently made aware of the man under the table


8. A is given responsibility over the vat of acid and B is given responsibility over the blade


9. A is informed about the consequences of spilling the acid


10. B is informed about the consequences of dropping the blade


11. At some point, A accidentally tips the vat of acid but saves it from spilling over the table just in time


12. However, the table has been upset enough to bring the blade down upon it, killing the man


13. Is A's acquittal in a trial court dependent on or independent of his knowledge of the blade's existence?

Judgment of actions: A thought experiment

1. There is a man sitting under a table


2. The following objects are placed on the table: a small vat of a concentrated acid and a guillotine-like blade


3. A curtain is drown over the table to separate the objects to a half of the table


4. If the vat of acid spills, it will burn a hole through the wood and kill the man underneath


5. If the blade is dropped, it will slice through the wood and kill the man underneath


6. On either side of the curtain, two men, A and B, are made to sit


7. Both of them are independently made aware of the man under the table


8. A is given responsibility over the vat of acid and B is given responsibility over the blade


9. A is informed about the consequences of spilling the acid


10. B is informed about the consequences of dropping the blade


11. At some point, A accidentally tips the vat of acid but saves it from spilling over the table just in time


12. However, the table has been upset enough to bring the blade down upon it, killing the man


13. Is A's acquittal in a trial court dependent on or independent of his knowledge of the blade's existence?