Heremil R.

Aquino

BSED-Mathematics I

“Moral Dilemma: Caught between a rock and a hard place”

I. Background

A. Introduction

One of the concepts studied under ethics is morality, a concept that concerns

itself between the good and the bad and is often subjective based on a person’s beliefs

and values. Due to the nature of morality many situations can arise in which people can

be forced to choose between two uncomfortable and conflicting situations where

choosing either one is unacceptable to the individual as one of their moral principles will

be compromised. This situation and experience is called a moral dilemma. In a moral

dilemma the individual is seemingly fated to commit something wrong based on their

principles and it implies that they failed at something they ought to do. Moral dilemmas

can arise everywhere in church, school, home and even when traveling. There’s no

telling when one will arise in our lives.

Moral dilemmas can be categorized into 8 types according to philo notes:

epistemic, ontological, self-imposed, world-imposed, obligation, prohibition, single-

agent, multi person dilemma. Epistemic dilemmas stem from the moral agent’s lack of

knowledge about which of the choices takes precedence over the other while

ontological dilemmas stem from a moral agent's knowledge about the situation, as for

them neither of the choices override each other and are equally important or bad. Self-

Imposed dilemmas are dilemmas caused by the moral agent's wrongdoings while

World-Imposed dilemmas are dilemmas that are caused by an event in the world and

are beyond the moral agent’s control. Obligation dilemmas are dilemmas that sprung up

because of the moral agent's obligations as they are made to choose between two or

more of their moral obligations while prohibition dilemmas are dilemmas that prohibit a

person’s action to be done otherwise will make them immoral. Single-agent dilemma are
dilemmas that is experienced only by a single individual while multi-person dilemma is

experienced by a group of individuals.

B. Theoretical Framework

Moral dilemmas can be categorized into 8 types according to philo notes:

epistemic, ontological, self-imposed, world-imposed, obligation, prohibition, single-

agent, multi person dilemma. Epistemic dilemmas stem from the moral agent’s lack of

knowledge about which of the choices takes precedence over the other while

ontological dilemmas stem from a moral agent's knowledge about the situation, as for

them neither of the choices override each other and are equally important or bad. Self-

Imposed dilemmas are dilemmas caused by the moral agent's wrongdoings while

World-Imposed dilemmas are dilemmas that are caused by an event in the world and

are beyond the moral agent’s control. Obligation dilemmas are dilemmas that sprung up

because of the moral agent's obligations as they are made to choose between two or

more of their moral obligations while prohibition dilemmas are dilemmas that prohibit a

person’s action to be done otherwise will make them immoral. Single-agent dilemma are

dilemmas that is experienced only by a single individual while

This paper will also draw from theories in ethics such as Kantian Ethics formally

known as “Deontological Ethics”. Kantian ethics or deontological ethics judges if an

action is morally correct or wrong based on the categorical imperative which has three

formulations; Universality, Humanity, and Autonomy. Formulation of universality states

that actions should be done if it can be universally applied, and Formulation of Humanity

states that individuals should be treated as ends and never as a means to achieve

goals,

These concept and theory will be used to evaluate and analyse the actions that

can be done in the moral dilemmas that follow.

C. Statement of the Problem

everyday lives?

2. What are the different types of dilemmas and how can one identify them?

3. How does understanding moral dilemmas assist us in our everyday life?

II. Presentation and Critical Analysis of Data

A. Reality

A moral dilemma is when an individual is forced to make an uncomfortable and

unacceptable choice. In this situation, one of their ethical principles will be compromised

if they choose either. Let’s give an example: suppose a doctor with a tendency to seek

ways for his patients to avoid psychological pain and suffering diagnoses a patient with

a terminal illness that currently has no known cure. This situation opens up two options

on how the doctor could proceed: Option one is to tell the patient the truth, and Option

two is to keep it hidden and not cause unnecessary pain to the patient. Option one

adheres to his duty as a doctor, while option two aligns with his moral beliefs to

minimize suffering. Now let’s twist this situation. What if, after telling the patient the

truth, they contemplate and inquire about assisted suicide? Assisted suicide is a

procedure in which individuals are prescribed lethal doses of medication to end their

own lives and their suffering. Now the doctor must choose; they can either refrain from

elaborating on the subject and deny their request or recommend a physician or other

ways to go through the procedure.

Let’s move on from those examples now and provide an example much closer to

us. Suppose a religious student procrastinates on their academic work and they have a

church activity that is super important to their religion and they need to prepare and

practice for that event, both the due date of their academic work and the date of that

very important event coincidentally are on the same day and time which is in two days.

Now the student faces a moral dilemma where as missing the due date to their

academic work is important for their education, future opportunities, and their grades.
While missing the event in their church which is crucial for their religious identity,

community and their spiritual well- being.

B. Reflection

As moral dilemmas often are where individuals go through conflicting ethical

principles, these conflicts can be categorized into various types. In the case of the

doctor’s moral dilemma we can categorise as an obligation dilemma as it involves their

conflicting obligations to be honest to their patient and their moral obligations to

minimize their suffering. It can also be categorised as an ontological moral dilemma as

from the doctor’s perspective both of his obligations is equal and none is above the

other. This dilemma can also be world-imposed as it is influenced by external factors

beyond the individual’s control like the terminal nature of the illness and ethical

complications surrounding assisted suicide. These factors exist within the legal

frameworks the doctor operates at.

Using categorical imperative let’s analyse the situation. Let’s formulate the action

as a universal law “Everyone should lie to protect someone’s feelings or psychological

well-being”. If everyone lied to protect feelings and their well-being, trust and

communication as we know it would break down as people wouldn’t know if they are

receiving reliable information and erodes trust between individuals. This situation or law

treats an individual as a means to avoid discomfort and not an ends which violates the

second formulation of the categorical imperative as this law does not respect an

individual’s rights and autonomy. While the situation where the patient contemplates

undergoing assisted suicide is more complicated as under Kantian ethics this will be

rejected as it might undermine the inherent value and dignity of life but under Kantian

ethics we also see the respect for rational beings and their autonomy to decide for their

own life.

Now let’s see the situation with the student this dilemma can be categorised as

self-imposed moral dilemma as it arose due to the action and wrongdoing of the student

as instead of working ahead of the due he decided procrastinate. It can also be an

obligation and their religious obligation. This situation is also an ontological moral

dilemma as it is between two equal obligations based on their perspective. Under

categorical imperative missing the academic work could negatively impact the education

system and students’ future while missing the church event would undermine the

importance of spiritual and community values which affects the students’ religious

community and their spiritual well-being.

C. Response

Based on the reflection the things that could be done by the doctor on their

dilemma are informing the patient of the nature of their illness and while informing them

of the options available to them. They can minimize psychological harm by offering

counseling services and promoting supportive communication to help the patient

process their diagnosis and the doctor should reflect on their personal values and seek

guidance with mentors and peers to gain different perspectives in making a decision.

The student should strive to respect and compromise, they must communicate with the

academic and religious authorities to find a compromise. Ultimately, the categorical

imperative encourages individuals to act in a way that is both acceptable and respects

the dignity of all involved.

III. Conclusion

A. Summary

Moral dilemmas are situations where an individual face conflicting moral

principles that lead to choices which are unsatisfactory. These dilemmas are common

and can be found whether it is in the professional and in a personal way. The analysis of

dilemmas has shown the complexities of ethical decision-making and are categorised

into 8 types of moral dilemmas including epistemic, ontological, self-imposed, world-

imposed, obligation, prohibition, single-agent, and multi-person dilemmas. The doctor’s

dilemma is between the conflicting obligations shown in the scenario. Kantian ethics
condemns lying to protect feelings as it could undermine trust and respect as the

patient’s autonomy must be respected. The moral dilemma that the student went

through is between their academic responsibilities and religious commitments,

categorised under self-imposed moral dilemma and obligation dilemma with ontological

elements. As procrastination gave way for the dilemma to arise this suggests that the

student is in need of an improved time management skill. It suggests that the student

should seek a balance between responsibilities.

B. Conclusion

In conclusion moral dilemmas are challenges that an individual may encounter

that force them to make a choice where none of the choices are perfectly aligned with

their values. In the cases shown in this paper, these dilemmas shows how they

contribute to ethical conflicts. By applying theories like Kantian ethics, it is possible to

navigate these dilemmas with a focus on universal principles and respect for individual

autonomy.

C. Recommendations

The recommendations are for students to develop critical thinking and problem

solving skills by analysing various scenarios and their potential outcomes which

develops their decision-making skills. It is also recommended for students to reflect on

their personal values and understand what matters most to you to serve as a guide in

making decisions. Practicing open communication and engaging in ethical discussions

serves as a way to be exposed to different kinds of moral values and helps to

understand and defend your own view points.