MORAL (Issues, Decision, Judgement and Dilemma) Flashcards
refers to a problem or situation
that requires individuals or organizations to make decisions based on ethical considerations of right and wrong. It involves personal beliefs and
values that guide behavior.
MORAL ISSUES
often used to
refer to those particular situations that are often the source of considerable and inconclusive debate
ISSUE
is a choice made based on
a person’s ethics, manners, character, and what they believe is proper behavior.
MORAL DECISION
refers to a decision about
what one should do in a morally problematic situation, what is right and what is wrong when deciding what to do.
MORAL JUDGEMENT
is a situation that involves a choice, decision, act/action, solution that may include an unpleasant problem or situation where you feel you simply do not know what to do or which way to turn.
MORAL (ETHICAL) DILEMMA
Introduces the use of REASON and IMPARTIALITY
MORAL REASONING MODEL
The basis for an action or decision
Reason
Equal treatment of all
IMPARTIALTITY
STEPS OF THE ETHICAL DECISION
MAKING PROCESS
- Gather the facts
- Define the ethical issues
- Identify the affected parties (stakeholders)
- Identify the consequences
- Identify the obligations (principles, rights, justice)
- Consider your character and integrity
- Think creatively about potential actions
- Check your gut
- Decide on the pipper ethical action and be prepared to deal with opposing arguments.
− Don’t jump to conclusions without the facts
− Questions to ask: Who, What, Where, When, Why, and How.
− However, facts may be difficult to find
because of the uncertainty often found
around ethical issues, Some facts are not
available.
− Assemble as many facts as possible before proceeding
− Clarify what assumptions you are making
GATHER THE FACTS
− Don’t jump to solutions without first
identifying the ethical issue(s) in the
situation.
− Define the ethical basis for the issue you
want to focus on.
− There may be multiple ethical issues -focus on one major one at a time
DEFINE THE ETHICAL ISSUE(S)
− Identify all of the stakeholders
Who are the primary or direct stakeholders?
Who are the secondary or indirect
stakeholders?
− Why are they stakeholders for the issue?
− Perspective-taking–Try to see things
through the eyes of those individuals
affected
IDENTIFY THE AFFECTED PARTIES
− Think about potential positive and negative consequences for affected parties by the decision (Focus on primary stakeholders to simplify analysis until you become comfortable with the process).
− What are the magnitude of the consequences
and the probability that the consequences will happen.
− Short term vs. Long term consequences will decision be valid over time.
− Broader systemic consequences-tied to
symbolic and secrecy
IDENTIFY THE CONSEQUENCES
Each decision
sends a message.
Symbolic consequences
What are the
consequences if the decision or action
becomes public?
Secrecy consequences
− Obligations should be thought of in terms of principles and rights involved
A. What obligations are created because of particular ethical principles you might use in the situation?
Examples: Do no harm; Do unto others as
you would have them do unto you; Do what you would have anyone in your shoes do in the given context.
B. What obligations are created because of the specific rights of the stakeholders?
What rights are more basic vs. secondary in nature? Which help protect an individual’s basic autonomy? What types of rights are involved -negative or positive?
C. What concepts of justice (fairness) are
relevant-distributive or procedural justice?
Did you consider any relevant cognitive
barriers/biases?
IDENTIFY THE RELEVANT PRINCIPLES, RIGHTS AND JUSTICE ISSUES
− Consider what your relevant community
members would consider to be the kind of
decision that an individual of integrity would make in this situation.
− What specific virtues are relevant in the
situation?
− Disclosure rule-what would you do if the
Media reported your action and everyone
was to read it.
− Think about how your decision will be
remembered when you are gone. Did you
consider any relevant cognitive
biases/barriers?
− What decision would you come to based
solely on character considerations
CONSIDER YOUR CHARACTER & INTEGRITY
− Be sure you have not been unnecessarily forced into a corner
− You may have some choices or alternatives that have not been considered
− If you have come up with solutions “a” and “b,” try to brainstorm and come up with a “c” solution that might
− satisfy the interests of the primary parties involved in the situation
THINK CREATIVELY ABOUT POTENTIAL ACTIONS
one side definitely weighs heavier than the other side. This is out of a person’s ethical thinking on how he can
manage to balance his choices.
Epistemic Dilemma
all options are on the
same weight. It is like a dark path that we have no choice but to cross.
Ontological Dilemma
is when a person
knows that two promises are conflicted therefore
it is caused by the agents’ wrongdoings.
Self-imposed moral dilemma
the agent is
thrown into the dilemma without being
responsible for it occurring.
World-imposed moral dilemma
are choice situations in
which all feasible actions are wrong.
Prohibition dilemmas
are choice
situations in which each of two feasible but
incompatible actions is obligatory.
Obligation moral dilemmas
as both conflicting
obligations.
Single agent Dilemma
occurs in situations that
involve several persons like a family, an
organization, or a community who is expected to come up with consensual decision on a moral issue at hand.
Multi-person Dilemma
3 STEPS IN ETHICAL DECISION MAKING
Step 1: Gather Information. Before you make any decision, you need to gather all the valuable information…
Step 2: Interpret the Facts.
Step 3: Look at the Opportunity/Options and Decide.
