Topic

Dilemma and Moral Dilemma

Only Human Beings can be

Ethical
 Dilemma and
Moral Dilemma
 Dilemma

A delimma is a situation in which a person is faced with two or

more conflicting choices or options, each of which has both
postive and negative aspects. It can be challenging to make a
decision because each choice presents it's own set of difficulties
 Examples

Job Offer Family Dilemma

Medical Dilemma
 Moral Dilemma
A moral dilemma also called as "ethical dilemma" is a situation
where a person is faced with two or more conflicting ethical
choices, each of which has potential consequences for their
values, beliefs, or principles. Resolving a moral dilemma often
involves making a difficult decision based on weighing the pros
and cons of each option and considering the impact on oneself
and others.
 Examples
1.
A doctor has five patients, each in need of a different organ to
survive. A healthy person walks in for a routine checkup. If the
doctor were to kill the healthy person and distribute their organs,
the five patients would survive. Do you take one life to save five?

You're a lawyer defending a family member who you believe is

2.
guilty of a serious crime. You're the only one who knows the
truth. Do you represent them to the best of your abilities, even
if it means helping them evade justice?
The Key Features of Moral
Dilemma
the agent can do each of the actions; but the neither of the
the agent is agent cannot do both (or all) of the actions.
required to do conflicting
In a moral dilemma, the agent thus seems
moral
each of two condemned to moral failure no matter what
he does, he will do something wrong, or fail to
requirements is
(or more)
do something that he ought to do. overridden.
actions
Three Levels of Moral Dilemma
Personal Dilemmas

Organization Dilemma

Structural Dilemma
 Personal Dilemma
Personal Dilemmas are those experienced and resolved on
the personal level. Since many ethical decisions are
personally made, many if not most of moral dilemmas fall
under, or boil down to this level. If a person makes
conflicting promises, he faces a moral conflict. When an
individual has to choose between the life of a child who is
about to be delivered and the child's mother, he faces an
ethical dilemma
Organizational Dilemma
Organizational moral dilemmas refer to
ethical cases encountered and resolves by
social organization. This category includes
moral dilemmas in business, medical fields
and public sector.
 Structural Dilemmas
Structural moral dilemmas refer to cases
involving network of institutions and operative
theoretical paradigms. As they usually
encompass multi-sectoral institutions and
organizations, they may be larger in scope
and extent than organizational dilemmas.
Only human
beings can be
Ethical
Only human beings are rational, autonomous,
and self-conscious. The qualities of rationality,
autonomy, and self-consciousness are
believed to confer a full and equal moral
status to those that possess them as these
beings are the only ones capable of
achieving certain moral values.