Lesson 2: Moral Dilemma

Moral Dilemma

Moral Dilemma

• When our well-defined values and principles compete with each other

• When the competition is right vs right

Moral Dilemma

• A situation in which the decision-maker must consider two or more moral values or duties but can only honor one of them (Kvalnes, 2015)

• The individual will violate at least one important moral concern, regardless of the decision

Recognize that there is a moral issue

• 1st Step of Kiddler’s Nine Checkpoints for Ethical Decision Making

• It requires us to identify issues needing attention

• Requires us to sift genuinely moral questions from those that merely involve manners and social conventions

Determine the actor

• 2nd Step of Kiddler’s Nine Checkpoints for Ethical Decision Making

• No man is an island, entire of itself

Gather the relevant facts

• 3rd Step of Kiddler’s Nine Checkpoints for Ethical Decision-Making

• Good decision-making requires good reporting.

• Fact gathering is an assessment of future potential

Test for right-versus-wrong issues

• 4th Step of Kiddler’s Nine Checkpoints for Ethical Decision-Making

• Does the case at hand involve wrongdoing?

Legal test

The test that asks whether lawbreaking is involved.

Stench test

• Test that relies on moral intuition (a gut-level determination). It asks whether this action goes against the grain of your moral principles

• At bottom, a form of rule-based reasoning, asking not about consequences but about visceral principles

Front-page test

• The test that asks “How would you feel if what you are about to do showed up tomorrow morning on the front pages of the nation’s newspaper

• A form of ends-based reasoning that looks to outcomes: only if people know what I’m doing will there by any consequences, consequences are what matter.

Mom test

• The test that asks, “If I were my mother, would I do this?” - moral exemplar who cares deeply about you and means a lot to you.

• Requires care-based reasoning, a form of Golden Rule that asks you to put yourself in the shoes of another.

Test for right-versus-right paradigms

• 5th Step of Kiddler’s Nine Checkpoints for Ethical Decision-Making

• What sort of dilemma is this?

• Truth vs. Loyalty, Self vs. Community, Short-term vs. Long-term, Justice vs. Mercy

Apply the resolution principles

• 6th Step of Kiddler’s Nine Checkpoints for Ethical Decision-Making

• Ends-based (Utilitarian Principle)

• Rule-based (Kantian principle)

• Care-based (Golden Rule)

• The goal is to locate the line of reasoning that seems most relevant

Investigate the trilemma options

• 7th Step of Kiddler’s Nine Checkpoints for Ethical Decision-Making

• It asks a third why through this dilemma.

Make the decision

• 8th Step of Kiddler’s Nine Checkpoints for Ethical Decision-Making

• It requires moral courage - an attribute essential to leadership and one that, along with reason, distinguishes humanity most sharply from the animal world.

Revisit and reflect on the decision

• 9th or Last Step of Kiddler’s Nine Checkpoints for Ethical Decision-Making

• Going back over the decision-making process and seeking its lessons.

Truth vs Loyalty, Individual vs Community, Short-term vs Long Term, Justice vs. Mercy

Kidder’s Four Paradigms for Understanding Ethical Dilemmas

Ends Based

• Way of thinking about ethical decision-making

• Known to philosophers as utilitarianism (Utilitarian principle)

• Do whatever produces the greatest good for the greatest number

Rules Based

• Way of thinking about ethical decision-making

• “Categorical Imperative”

• Follow the principle that you want others to follow

• “Stick to your principles and let the chips fall where they may”

• Kantian principle

Care Based

• Putting love for others first

• Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Facts, Stakeholders, Values, Options, Consequences

Antonette Palma-Angeles Tools for Decision Making (Reason Process)