Moral Dilemma Examples PDF

Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services National Teachers College READING MATERIAL NO. 1.2 What is the Moral Dilemma? Published by Dave Cornell, PhD (2024) ht...

Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services National Teachers College READING MATERIAL NO. 1.2 What is the Moral Dilemma? Published by Dave Cornell, PhD (2024) https://helpfulprofessor.com/moral-dilemma-examples/ A moral dilemma is a situation in which an individual must choose between two moral options. Each option has advantages and disadvantages that contain significant consequences. Choosing one option means violating the ethical considerations of the other option. So, no matter which option is selected, it both upholds and violates at least one moral principle. When moral dilemmas are discussed formally, the individual that must make the decision is referred to as the agent. Moral Dilemma Features McConnell (2022) identifies the crucial features of a moral or ethical dilemma: 1. The agent (person) is required to do one of two moral options 2. The agent (person) is capable of doing each one 3. The agent (person) cannot do both McConnell explains that the agent should choose option A, but at the same time, the agent should choose option B. All things considered, both options are equivalently positive and negative, but in different aspects. Thus, no matter which option is chosen, it will result in a moral failure. Types of Moral Dilemmas Epistemic: This type of moral dilemma is when the person has no idea which option is the most morally acceptable. 1 GE7- Ethics  Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services National Teachers College Ontological: This is a moral dilemma in which the options available are equal in every respect. Self-imposed: This is the type of moral dilemma that the person has created themselves. World-imposed: When the moral dilemma is brought about by others and the person must resolve the matter, it is referred to as a world-imposed moral dilemma, and is also often an example of a social dilemma. Obligation: Some moral dilemmas involve options in which the person feels they must enact each one. The tension arises because they can only choose one, but they are obligated to do both. Prohibition: A moral dilemma in which each option is reprehensible is called a prohibition dilemma. Each option would normally not be considered due to its unethical nature. However, the person must choose. Moral Dilemma Examples 1. Exposing Your Best Friend This is a self-imposed moral dilemma. The person has not done any wrongdoing, but they are in the position to decide whether to expose their friend’s unethical behavior. 2. Tricking a Loved One with Alzheimer’s This seems to be an obligation moral dilemma. The person feels they must take care of their loved one’s expenses, but they also feel a duty to respect their loved one’s autonomy and not deceive them. 3. Cheating on a Boyfriend This is a self-imposed moral dilemma, as the person’s actions led to the situation where they must decide whether to confess their infidelity. 2 GE7- Ethics  Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services National Teachers College 4. Selling a Used Car This can be seen as an ontological moral dilemma, as the person must choose between two equivalent actions: betraying the trust of one friend by revealing the car’s problems or betraying the trust of the other friend by staying silent. 5. Recalling a Faulty Product This could be a world-imposed moral dilemma as the person/agent didn’t personally contribute to the faulty product but must decide whether to recall the product or risk public health. 6. Global Supply Chains This is an obligation dilemma. The person feels obligated to both keep their products affordable (and their company competitive) and to avoid supporting unethical labor practices. 7. Admitting a Mistake This is a self-imposed dilemma because the agent’s decision to only analyze part of the data led to the current situation. 8. In Child Protection Services This could be an epistemic dilemma because the person doesn’t know which action – following the protocol or not filing charges knowing they were fabricated – is the most morally correct. 9. Playground Accident at School This could be seen as an ontological dilemma, as the person must choose between two equally significant outcomes: telling the truth and potentially causing their co-teacher to lose their job, or staying silent and potentially putting the school and other students at risk. 3 GE7- Ethics  Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services National Teachers College 10. In Geo-Politics This might be classified as a prohibition dilemma, as both options – supporting a regime that violates human rights or causing significant financial loss to the company and its stakeholders – are morally objectionable. Applications of Moral Dilemmas 1. In Nursing As a result, they confront moral dilemmas on a regular basis, and often experience severe emotional distress. They often must balance obligations regarding professional duties and personal convictions involving their values and beliefs. In fact, nurses face a wide range of moral dilemmas. Rainer et al. (2018) conducted an integrative review of published research from 2000 – 2017 which dealt with ethical dilemmas faced by nurses. The review identified several main categories or moral dilemmas: end-of-life issues, conflicts with physicians, conflicts with patient family members, patient privacy matters, and organizational constraints. In a meta-analysis of nine studies in four countries, de Casterlé et al. (2008) examined the moral reasoning of nurses based on Kohlberg’s (1971) theory of moral development. The study used an adapted version of the Ethical Behaviour Test (EBT) to measure nurses’ moral reasoning as it applies to practical nursing scenarios (de Casterle´ et al. 1997). The results suggested that nurses tended to function at a conventional level of moral reasoning, rather than at a higher, postconventional level in Kohlberg’s stages. 2. In Journalism Many people that enter the field of journalism do so out of noble goals to promote truth, help the public stay informed, and reveal unethical practices in society. 4 GE7- Ethics  Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services National Teachers College The very nature of those goals leads to journalists being immersed in moral dilemmas stemming from a variety of issues. Sources Journalists must gather information from sources that can be reluctant to reveal their identity. This presents the moral dilemma of somehow establishing credibility for one’s information, but at the same time protecting the rights and wishes of an anonymous source. Victim’s Rights Protecting victims’ rights to privacy can be in direct conflict with the public’s right to know. This produces an ethical quandary that nearly every journalist will face in their career. This can be particularly tricky when dealing with public figures, elected officials, or children. Conflicts of Interest Conflicts of interest come into play in journalism in several situations. Journalists are supposed to be impartial and cover stories fairly and objectively. However, conflicts of interest can emerge when the story might impact an advertiser negatively or reflect poorly on the company’s ownership. Accuracy Particularly troublesome in the era of new media news is the moral dilemma regarding the accuracy of information presented in coverage. On the one hand, journalists are obligated to provide the audience with information that is valid. That takes time. On the other hand, being first has always been a priority in the journalism profession. Accuracy is tied directly to credibility, but at the same time, being second to go public with news tarnishes the agency’s reputation. Credibility Deuze and Yeshua (2001) point out that one core moral dilemma in journalism centers on how to establish credibility in the age of social media and the lightning speed of the Internet. New media journalists struggle to establish credibility in an environment crowded with gossip, amateur journalists, and fake news (Singer, 1996). 5 GE7- Ethics  Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services National Teachers College 3. In Business There is no shortage of moral dilemmas in the business world, no matter how large or small the company (Shaw & Barry, 2015). A small sample of ethical issues are described below. Product Quality vs. Profit Nearly every item made can be produced to a higher standard. That is not the problem. The problem is that those higher standards usually entail higher costs. So, the tradeoff becomes an issue of competing priorities: product quality or product profitability. Outsourcing Labor This seems to be a decision that a lot of US corporations have already completed. Offshoring labor is usually cheaper. But, it comes at a cost to the homeland. Fewer jobs means a weaker economy and possibly an array of psychosocial dysfunctions. If you ask the various BODs however, they will tell you that they have to honor their fiduciary obligation to make the most profit for the company they run. Often, that means offshoring jobs. Employee Social Media Behavior On the one hand, what people do in their personal time is supposed to be just that, personal. On the other hand, each employee represents the company and if they engage in behavior online that reflects poorly on the company, then that can justify terminating their contract. Honest Marketing It can be easy to stretch the truth a little bit to make a product or service look its best. How far to stretch that line is where the moral dilemma forms. In cases that are basically inconsequential, like foods and such, a little gloss is relatively harmless. 6 GE7- Ethics  Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services National Teachers College However, when it comes to products that are consequential such as pharmaceuticals and insurance policies, the moral dilemma is so serious that the government has legislated marketing rules and regulations that must be strictly followed. Labor Practices Many countries have strict laws about labor practices that involve child labor and working conditions. But, many countries do not. Some of the labor practices in those countries are absolutely shocking. Companies in industrialized countries such as in the EU are supposed to monitor their supply chains carefully. They can be held accountable if found in violation of their home country’s regulations. The moral dilemma occurs when the company feels it must turn a blind-eye to circumstances if it wants to stay in business. Environmental Protection So many companies today are aware of their environmental footprint. They must make a calculated decision as to how much environmental damage they can accept in balance with expectations of their customers and damage to the environment. That balance is getting harder to ignore as societies become more environmentally conscious and social media increasingly powerful. A moral dilemma is when an individual, referred to as an agent, is confronted with a situation in which they must choose between two or more moral options. Unfortunately, each option has its own ramifications that make the choice between one or the other difficult. Moral dilemmas are prevalent in our personal and professional lives. Several professions are especially rife with moral dilemmas. For instance, those in the healthcare industry must make decisions that can have life-and-death consequences. Journalists must grapple with a range of moral dilemmas that involve establishing credibility of their content, verifying the accuracy of their information, plus issues of impartiality. Business leaders today also cannot escape moral dilemmas. They 7 GE7- Ethics  Adaptive Community for the Continuity of Education and Student Services National Teachers College must make decisions that impact employees, customers, and unseen individuals that work throughout fast supply chains. As the world has become so interconnected, it seems that the number and severity of moral dilemmas continues to grow. 8 GE7- Ethics