10. What is a Moral (Ethical) Dilemma? - VIVA Open Publishing

A moral (ethical) dilemma is a situation that involves a choice, decision, act/action, solution that may include an unpleasant problem or situation where you ... Skiptocontent Bynow,youshouldhaveagoodunderstandingofhowwedefine“ethics”and“morals.” Wewillnowturnourattentiontodefiningmoral(ethical)dilemma. Whendefiningmoral(ethical)dilemma,itisimportanttorecognizethatamoral(ethical)dilemmaisnotsimplyaquestion thatrequiresyoutomakeadecisionof“WhatcoloroutfitshouldIweartoday,”or“Willtheredorblueshoesbestmatchmyoutfit?”Norisamoral(ethical)dilemmaasituationwhereyoumustdecidebetweenanactionsuchas“ShouldIeatchocolateorvanillaicecreamfordessert”or“ShouldIreadtheintroductiontomytextbookorstartwithchapterone?” AsfarasIknow,thereisnothingimmoralorunethicalwitheatingeitherchocolateorvanillaicecreamfordessertorwithskippingovertheintroductionandbeginningwiththefirstchapterofabook(except,youmightoverlooksomehelpfulinformationbynotreadingtheintroductiontoyourtextbook). Thepointisamoral(ethical)dilemmainvolvesmakingachoicebetweentwoormoremoral(ethical)valuesandinmakingadecisionorintakingactionyouwillcompromiseorviolatesomeothermoral(ethical)principle(s)orvalue(s). Amoral(ethical)dilemmaisasituationthatinvolvesachoice,decision,act/action,solutionthatmayincludeanunpleasantproblemorsituationwhereyoufeelyousimplydonotknowwhattodoorwhichwaytoturn.Whenidentifyingwhatisorisnotamoral(ethical)dilemma,weneedtorememberthekeywordshereare“moral”or“ethical”(asareminder,weareusingthesewordsinterchangeably). Aresponsetoamoral(ethical)dilemmaisnotalwaysamatterof“rightversuswrong,”asbothcoursesofactionordecisioncouldseemmoralorethical(orthe“rightthingtodo”).Insomecases,itisa“rightversusright”typeofdilemma,whichinvolveshavingtodecidethebetterorbestwaytorespondwhenfacedwithtwoormore“right“coursesofactionordecisionstoselectfrom. Whenfacedwithamoral(ethical)dilemma,youwillprobablybeaskingyourself“WhatshouldIdo?”or“WhatoughtIdonow?”  Youmayhavea“littlevoice”insideyourheadtellingyoutodoonething,whileyourimmediatedesireistodoanother. Somemayrefertothis“littlevoice”asyourconscience,andyoumaybethetypeofpersonwhoiskeenlyawareoftheirown“moralcompass.” Haveyoueverknownwhatyou“mustdo,”butsimplydidnot“feel”likedoingit? Whenfacedwithasituationlikethis,doyoulistentothat“littlevoice”andfollowyourmoralcompass?Or,doyousimplydothefirstthingyouthinkof,whatmostpleasesyouorothers,ordonothing? The”rightversuswrong”ethicaldilemmas,arenotusuallytheoneswehaveaproblemresolving(suchas,“ShouldIcheatonatest?”or“Isitokaytoharmaninnocentperson?”). Itisthe“rightversusright”ethicaldilemmasthatseemtobethehardesttoresolve. Let’slookatafewexamplesofwhatcouldbeconsidered“rightversusright’moral(ethical)dilemma: Youreighteen-year-oldson/daughterconfidedinyouthattheyhadbeeninvolvedintherecenttheftofyourneighbor’scar.Shouldyoucallthepoliceandturnyourson/daughterinbecauseyouwanttobehonestwithyouneighbor,aswellaswanttotellthetruth?Ordoyousimply“keepquiet”becauseyouwanttoremainloyaltoyourson/daughter,especiallysincetheytoldyouinconfidence?(Thinkabouttruthversusloyaltywhenponderingthisdilemma,suchasintherelationshipwithyourson/daughterandyourneighbor.) YouhaveafailinggradeinyourEnglishclass,andyouwerequitesurprisedwhenyoureceivedyourfinalexamback.Itshowsyouscored100%ontheexam,yetyoucannotfigureouthowyouevenpassedtheexam. Youdidnotstudy,andyoutotallyguessedwhencompletingthemultiple-choiceandtrue/falsequestions. Thereisnowayyoucouldhavepassedthefinalexam,andyouwerepreparedtoearnanFinthecourse.Youhadevenplannedtoretakethecourseduringthesummer. Youreallyneedtopassthisclasstograduate.Uponreviewingtheexam,younoticetheteachermadeabigmistakeingradingmyexam. YoushouldhaveearnedanFonthefinalexam,andnotthegradeof100%.Evenwith thegradeof100%onthefinalexam,youwillbarelypassthecoursewithaD. Theerroringradingwasnotyourfault,soyouarewonderingifyoushouldsayanythingtoyourinstructoraboutherbigmistakeingradingmyfinalexam?Ifyousaysomething,thenyouwillfailthecourseandhavetoretakeitinthesummer. Ifyoudonotsayanything,youcanatleastearnaDandnothavetoretakethecourse. (Thinkabouttheshort-andlong-termimpactofthissituationonyouasthestudent,theinstructor,andotherstudentsinthesamecourse.)   YoucannotstandwearingamaskduetotheCOVID-19pandemic.Itmakesyourglassesfogupanditissimplyuncomfortable.Youhavenotbeenfeelingilleither. Forthemostpart,youstayhomeandonlyventureoutforoccasionalgroceries. Youlivealoneanddonotliveinastateorlocalitywherewearingamaskismandatory. Shouldyouwearamakewhenyouoccasionallygotothegrocerystory? Whenponderingthisdilemma,considerthatthere’snolawthatmakesitmandatorytowearamake(suchas,thereisnolawthatappliestoyourstateorcommunity).Justbecausesomethingislegal,stillconsiderifitisethical. (Youshouldconsidertheimpactofwearingornotwearingamaskinrelationshiptoyouastheindividual,ascomparedtothecommunityinwhichyoulive.) Youarethemanagerofarestaurantandoneofyourlong-termemployeesdidnotshowupforworkonaFridaynightwhenyourrestaurantisslammedwithcustomers.Thisreallyputyouinajam,andyouenduphavingtoaskoneofyourotheremployeestoworklatetocovertheshiftforthemissingemployee.Whatissurprising toyouisyourlong-termemployeehasneverdonethisbefore.Itwasshockingtheynevercalledtoletyouknowwhathappenedandinformyoutheywouldnotbecomingin. Thefollowingmorningthelong-termemployeeshowsupfortheirscheduledmorningshift. Youarenotveryhappybecausetheemployeeactslikenothinghappened,anddidnotevenofferanexplanation.Intheemployeehandbook,thereisastatementaboutzerotolerancefor“noshows”whenitcomestobeingatwork(thisisreallyimportantonaFridaynighttoo).Theemployeehandbookfurtherexplainsitistheemployee’sresponsibilitytonotifyyoupriortotheirscheduledworktime/shift.Whatshouldyoudo? Doyouimmediatelytellthislong-termemployeetheyarefiredbecauseitwasverydisrespectfultobothyouandtheotheremployees,aswellasmakingitdifficulttoprovidequalityserviceforcustomersbecauseyouwereshort-handedintermsofstaff? Or,doyougivethisemployeeachanceto“redeem”themselves? (Youshouldconsiderifyoubelievejusticeisservedbyenforcingtherulesandholdingemployeesaccountablefortheiractions.Or,shouldyoulookwithmercyonthewrongdoersincetheyarealong-termemployeeandperhapsgivethemanotherchance?)       Previous/nextnavigation Previous:EthicalBehavior&MoralValuesinEverydayLife Next:TheBasicsofEthicalReasoning Backtotop License WhatisaMoral(Ethical)Dilemma?byDeborahHolt,BS,MAislicensedunderaCreativeCommonsAttribution4.0InternationalLicense,exceptwhereotherwisenoted. 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