Categories of Ethical Dilemmas
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An ethical dilemma is a situation that presents a conflict between socially accepted principles of what is right and wrong and the consequences of actions. For example, you may have a negative outcome if you act in accordance with recognized principles. On the other hand, you could have a good outcome by abandoning those principles. Such ethical dilemmas could be of a moral nature, a professional nature, or a business nature. - Moral dilemmas arise when you have a moral obligation to do the right thing but face a certain conflict. A classic example of such a dilemma is the case of a sinking ship. Only a given number of people can fit into the lifeboat and the ship’s captain has to decide how to choose which passengers get those spots. Although the captain’s moral principles call for him to save everyone, the lifeboat's.space constraints prevent him from doing so. Yet, saving only a portion of passengers could be considered a good outcome.
- Professionals sometimes encounter ethical dilemmas in the workplace. Psychiatrists, for example, have a duty to maintain the confidences of their patients, but if a patient threatens to harm himself or others, the psychiatrist also is obligated to report that. This presents a conflict between the duty to maintain confidentiality and your principles as a human being to prevent harm to another. This sort of dilemma calls for making a judgment call about the patient's intent to act.
- Businesses are generally structured to generate profits. Sometimes, businesses face ethical dilemmas in terms of choosing to do the right thing or choosing to pursue profits at the expense of business ethics. For instance, in the early 2000s, a number of large, high-profile businesses falsified accounting records to present a positive impression to the public. For these businesses, the choice was between presenting their true performances--which likely would have caused their stock prices to fall, increased their financing costs and threatened their viability--and putting on a false front for their own profit motives.
