THE MOLECULE OF MOREHARD DECISIONS IN THE REAL WORLDThis problem is more than just theoretical; it confronts developers of
self-driving cars. If a fatal crash between two cars is inevitable, what
should the self-driving car be programmed to do? Should it swerve in
one direction to protect the life of its owner, or should it swerve in the
opposite direction, killing its owner, if fewer people in the other car will
die? Consumer tip: If you’re in the market for a self-driving car, ask the
salesperson how it’s been programmed.
Another example of the problem was depicted in the 2016 film Eye
in the Sky. Terrorists in Kenya are preparing two suicide bombers for an
attack that will kill as many as two hundred people. There’s very little
time to stop them. On the other side of the world, the remote pilot of
a drone is poised to launch a missile to kill the terrorists. Just before
he fires, a young girl sets up a table to sell bread next to the terrorists’
house. If the drone pilot does nothing, hundreds will die. But to save
those lives, he must kill the little girl along with the terrorists. The film
documents the intense debate over which choice to make in this realis-
tic portrayal of the “trolley problem.”
Sometimes we act one way: cold, calculating, seeking to dominate
the environment for future gain. Sometimes we act another: warm,
empathic, sharing what we have for the present joy of making others
happy. Dopamine control circuits and H&N circuits work in opposition,
creating a balance that allows us to be humane toward others, while
safeguarding our own survival. Since balance is essential, the brain
often wires circuits in opposition. It works so well that sometimes there
is even opposition wired into the same neurotransmitter system. The
dopamine system operates in this way, so what happens when dopa-
mine opposes dopamine?
THE RADISHES-AND-COOKIES CHALLENGEThe neurotransmitter dopamine is the source of desire (via the desire
circuit) and tenacity (via the control circuit); the passion that points the