| Ethical dilemmas
occur when two or more ethical values are conflicting in a right vs.
right scenario. .
Four ways of classifying ethical
dilemmas are:
- Truth vs Loyalty - this is about being honest
while keeping one's promises. Truth tends to be about accurately
reporting the fact. Loyalty is about feelings of allegiance to a
friend, a group, or a set of ideas.
- Individual vs Community - this is about
placing the interests of the individual against those of the larger
community.
- Short Term vs Long Term - this is about
requirements of the present against the need for a safe and secure
future.
- Justice vs Mercy - this is about the
conflict between fairness and equal treatment on the one hand and
compassion and understanding of special circumstances on the other.
A Third Way Out ?
If after applying all of the above you still cannot see which solution
is best try to search for a third way out. Ask yourself:
- Is there some action that meets all values? For example in a truth-vs-loyalty
dilemma is there a way that I can be loyal AND tell the truth?
- Is there some creative action I can take that avoids the current
dilemma?
- If I involve the stakeholders in the decision can we find a better
way together?
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