College of

Nursing Banilad
Campus

Name: Donna Marie D. Tariman Course/Subject: 70248 PHILO (Ethics)

Year & Section: BSN 2-A Date: October 8, 2021_______________

Thinking Exercise: Heinz Dilemma (An Idea on Moral

Reasoning)

Activity No. 1
THINKING EXERCISE: (Write the Title of your DILEMMA) AN IDEA ON MORAL REASONING

INSTRTUCTION: Use the power of your introspection and present in detail ONE individual or
personal moral dilemma (like Heinz dilemma) on which you are going to lay down the possible choices
or alternatives in solving the moral dilemma. Afterwards, affirm the final CHOICE you select, identify
the particular stage of Moral Development according to Kohlberg. Explain or give reasons why
(MORAL REASONING). Submit in PDF format as attached file. Below is only a format you can have
your style of formatting as long as you the sequence.

PERSONAL DILEMMA:

During my last year in Senior High School, around month of May, I was just a Grade-12 student
then when I was faced with this particular moral dilemma, which for me really challenged my ability
to conduct moral reasoning and execute moral action which both can define my essence and
individuality.

In one group activity that we had in a particular course/subject, we are assigned to make
somewhat like a lesson outline for a specific topic. During that time when the professor was giving
her instructions regarding this activity, we, as a class also imparted our questions and clarifications
about some details that were quite unclear for us, and the professor in return answered all our
concerns thoroughly. She emphasized that we are to strictly follow the format that she prepared for
us. After that session in class, my group mates and I proceeded to planning for the activity. Before
officially planning for our concept for the activity, the whole group agreed to designate me as the
group leader and I accepted the position since their decision was a majority. Moving on, as the leader
myself, I handled the group, assigned equal tasks to all the members, and set an early desired date
of submission, so that we won’t have to cram and we can submit immediately our output for the said
task. Pressing forward, about a week later after reviewing and finalizing everything, we submitted
our output and the group was joyed when we learned that among all groups, we were the very first
group who submitted the task. The following day, we were shocked, astounded, and dismayed when
we received our grade for the activity and found out that we just had 75 out of 100 as our mark. The
whole group were wondering why and in what part of the activity did we make a mistake or such. Later
on, the same day that day, our professor messaged every one of us through our class group chat and
imparted her additional instructions and additional expected concepts for the activity, but that time,
our group has already submitted the output and was even already graded. While the other groups
were able to edit their output in accordance to what our professor expected to see because they
haven’t submitted theirs’ yet, my group was very much despaired with our grade and thought that it
was so unfair for us to have that grade when in fact she just shared her additional instructions in a
very late time.

Being the leader of the group, I knew that I had to do something to justify the rights of my
members. That was a very important activity and it will really take a toll for our overall grades. It
was not our fault that we submitted the output early and the professor only announced her added
instructions in a very late time, which basically caused us the 75 grade. It was a dilemma for me to
make one among three choices.

POSSIBLE CHOICES:

1. I will approach our professor personally and face the risk of me being scolded by her or even have
our grade possibly worsened and turned to 0 because we are not following her late instructions (our
professor was strict and terror),

2. I will ignore all my group mates’ concern about the 75 grade and just leave it like that or;

3. I will face the odds and gather the courage to approach the teacher and clear out the side of my
group and ask for a chance to submit again an edited output to redeem my group’s grade.

MORAL REASONING:

After a sufficient time of thinking and contemplation, though I was very nervous, I finally
decided to approach our professor and explain to her the sequence of what happened, and justify (in
a very polite manner) that it was unfair for our group to have a grade like that. In my point of view,
I think it was the very correct thing to do among the choices that I had in mind because first of all,
it was the only choice that entailed a possibility of us being given the chance to redeem our grades.
The other two options, I think, are just rooted with fear and self-centeredness because if I happened
to choose either option 1 or 2, it would be very disappointing and selfish for me as a leader to not be
able to fulfill my responsibility to my members and just think for my own benefit. Above all, with the
benefit that it can give me or my group aside, I think that it was the very right thing to do, for it can
be the tool to correct the practice of the said professor so that she won’t make the same routine
and affect other sets of students.

WHICH STAGE OF MORAL DEVELOPMENT?

With full humility, I think that just according to the choice that I made, I am in the Post-
conventional level of Kohlberg’s Six Stages of Moral Development, under “principled conscience”,
because I believe that the choice that I made was rooted by my personal principles and values in life.
My morality is based on principles that transcend mutual benefit. I understand that laws and rules
are important, but I also value what weighs more between a particular dilemmas.