WHAT are Ethical Dilemmas?

Ethical or Moral dilemmas are situations where two or more moral reasons, moral obligations,
duties, rights, or ideals come into conflict and it is not immediately obvious what should be done.

How to resolve Ethical Dilemmas?

1. Identify the relevant moral values and reasons applicable in the situation. These maybe
obligations, duties, rights, goods, ideals or other moral considerations. Most useful
resource in identifying ethical dilemma in engineering are professional codes of ethics.
2. Clarify key concepts.
3. Obtain relevant information – gathering information in light of the applicable moral values.
Sometimes the primary difficulty in resolving moral dilemmas is uncertainty about the
facts, rather than conflicting values.
4. Consider all options – initially ethical dilemma seem to force us into a two way choice: do
this or do that. A closer look often reveals additional options.
5. Make a reasonable decision - arrive at a carefully reasoned judgment by weighing all the
moral reasons and facts.

What are the categories of ethical dilemmas?

2 categories of ethical dilemmas, which are:
1.Right-wrong
Many dilemmas have solutions that are either right or wrong. “Right” means that one course of
action is obligatory, and failing to do that action is unethical or immoral. In most instances, a code
of ethics specifies what is clearly required: do not offer or accept bribes, speak truthfully and so
forth.
2.Better-worse
On the other hand, some dilemmas have two or more solutions, no one of which is mandatory but
one of them should be chosen. These solutions might be better or worse than others in some
respects.
Making Moral Choices
Moral dilemma constitute a relatively small percentage of moral choices, most moral choices are
routine and straight forward.

Whiteback’s design analogy – don’t think will come out, but do read.
First, there are alternative solutions to design problems, more than one of which is
satisfactory. Moral issues frequently have more than one satisfactory solution. We tend to overlook
the possibility of several good options because we are preoccupied with moral dilemmas that focus
our choices between two exclusive options.
Second, when multiple moral factors are involved, some of them might be more fully
satisfied by particular solutions, but with the trade-off of lessened satisfaction of others.
Third, some solutions are ruled out from the outset by minimum standards of justice and
decency.
Fourth, moral choices involve uncertainties and ambiguities, not only about what is
possible and how to achieve it, but also about the specific problems that will arise as solutions are
developed
Finally, problems are dynamic. Finding one part of the overall solution often generates new
problems, or even a revised understanding of problems, and goals. Moral choices are often
dynamic and involve ongoing series of choices, rather than one final choice.