Ethical dilemmas are difficult situations where there is no clear answer to what action is morally right or wrong. These conflicts often involve situations involving personal values, which can be deeply held beliefs that guide an individual's behavior. Personal values can vary widely from person to person and may be influenced by cultural norms, upbringing, life experiences, and religious beliefs. When these values come into conflict with each other, it can create an ethical dilemma.
Consider a scenario where a doctor discovers that her patient has been engaging in unethical business practices and asks for her advice on how to handle the situation. The doctor believes in honesty and transparency but also understands the potential repercussions of exposing the patient's actions. If she reports the patient's activities, they could face legal consequences and damage their reputation, while if she keeps quiet, she would be violating her own code of conduct as a medical professional. This creates a moral conflict between two competing values - honesty versus loyalty.
Another common ethical dilemma arises when an individual faces a choice between two courses of action that both seem equally justifiable.
A manager must decide whether to promote an employee who has performed well or let them go due to budget constraints. In this case, the manager must weigh the benefits of promoting the employee against the costs of letting them go and potentially hurting their career prospects. They may feel conflicted about choosing one over the other because both options have merit.
Ethical dilemmas are not limited to personal relationships. They can also arise in professional settings, such as when a lawyer is asked to represent a client who they believe to be guilty of a crime. In this case, the lawyer must balance their duty to defend their client's interests against their ethical obligation to uphold the law.
To navigate these types of situations, individuals often rely on their moral compass and personal values to guide their decision-making process.
Sometimes there simply isn't a clear answer, and each option carries its own set of pros and cons. It's important for people to recognize and acknowledge the complexity of ethical dilemmas and approach them with caution and empathy. By carefully considering all sides of an issue, individuals can make informed decisions that align with their personal beliefs and values while still respecting the perspectives of others involved.
How do ethical dilemmas arise with personal values?
The ethical dilemma arises when an individual has to choose between two or more moral principles or codes of conduct that are equally important to them personally. These situations can be challenging because they involve conflicts between what is right and wrong, good and bad, or desirable and undesirable. An example of this might be when someone must decide whether to tell their boss that their coworker is stealing from the company or not.