He displays an irrational degree of revulsion at the idea of killing people. One gets the idea that he would let five die in the trolley problem.
I doubt it; he is a self-described consequentialist, and doesn't seem to be unaware of the math or unwilling to do it.
(By the way, it's completely appropriate to feel revulsion at the idea of killing the one person in the trolley problem... as long as you feel five times as much revulsion at the idea of letting the five in the trolley die.)
Edit: The bigger problem with your scenario is that, if I remember correctly, creating a Horcrux requires genuine hatred and malevolence, not just any death.
Edit 2: According to the Harry Potter Wiki, it also requires some other unspecified "horrific act".
Edit 3: I wonder whom Voldemort killed in order to Horcrux the Pioneer plaque.
it's completely appropriate to feel revulsion at the idea of killing the one person in the trolley problem... as long as you feel five times as much revulsion at the idea of letting the five in the trolley die.
That's what I mean by an irrational degree of revulsion. As far as we can tell, it doesn't even occur to him that a Horcrux trades off a finite life for an infinite one.
creating a Horcrux requires genuine hatred and malevolence.
There are mind-altering spells. The clinic doctor can make you evil enough to cast the spell, and then do Finite Incantatem once the process is done.
ETA: There is now a third thread, so send new comments there.
Since the first thread has exceeded 500 comments, it seems time for a new one, with Eliezer's just-posted Chapter 33 & 34 to kick things off.
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