In one case, (Torture to avoid the specks) the larger portion of people is better off if you pick the single person. In the other case, (Build pyramids to please Felix) the larger portion of people is worse off if you pick the single person.
Imagine that there is one tortured for 50 years and then free of any dust speck for the next 3^^^3 years.
Then we don't have "the larger portion of people" anymore. Is anything different in such a case?
I don't know, 3^^^3 is a pretty long time to fix brain trauma. Or are you offering complete restoration after the torture? In that case, I might just take it.
I laughed: SMBC comic.