Moral Dilemmas

Nominal Duration: 1.5 hours

Learning Outcomes:
Upon completion of this topic, the student must be able to:
1. recognize and recall a moral experience;
2. detect a moral dilemma; and
3. give examples of the three levels of moral dilemmas.

Introduction

A dilemma is a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or

more alternatives, especially equally undesirable ones. It is a conflict in which you have
to choose between two or more actions and have moral reasons for choosing each action.

1) An individual is presented with two or more actions, all of which the individual has the
ability to perform.
2) There are moral reasons for the individual to choose each of the actions.
3) The individual cannot perform all of the actions and have to choose which action, or
actions to perform when there are three or more choices.

Since there are moral reasons to choose each action, and the individual cannot
choose them all, it follows that no matter what choice the individual makes, he or she will
be failing to follow his or her morals. In other words, someone or something will suffer no
matter what choice he or she makes.

Three Levels of Moral Dilemmas

1. Individual Moral Dilemma

This is a moral dilemma that involves the individual on a personal level. Factors
such as personal health issues, family issues, personal financial issues, peer pressures
and socio-economic issues among many others may lead to ethical tensions within the
person himself. Example: A child in the family is in a dilemma whether to donate his kidney
for the sake of his sister or not considering that there may be some health complications
that may arise in the future.

2. Organizational Moral Dilemma

This is a moral conflict that occurs in the organization or institution where
individuals within the organization will face the dilemma of personal choices against the
working ethics of the organization or institution. Example: a network administrator who
found out about the infidelity of his best friend’s wife through her emails is in a dilemma
whether to inform his best friend about it or not considering the policy of the company on
personal emails. Other examples may be found in businesses, scholarship policies,
medical field, and employment discriminations among others.

3. Systemic Moral Dilemma

This is a moral dilemma that occurs at a macro level. Factors such as political
pressures, economic conditions, societal attitudes, government regulations and policies
may bring about a moral dilemma. These factors affect operations and relationships which
drives an impact to the people, the market, the workplace and others on a local, national
and international level. Examples are death penalty, Contractualization, War on Drugs
Program of the Government, RH Law.

Learning Resources

De Guzman, Jens Micah, et al. (2018). Ethics: Principles of ethical behavior in

modern society. Philippines: MUTYA Publishing House, Inc.
Ezra, Ovadia. (2006). Moral Dilemmas in real life: Current issues in applied ethics.
The Netherlands: Springer.
Rachel, James and Stuart Rachels. (2018). Elements of moral philosophy, 9th ed.
New York: McGraw-Hill.