Lesson 3: MORAL DILEMMAS

Learning Objectives (Knowledge, Skills and Attitudes):

a) Understand the meaning of moral dilemmas
b) Identify which life situations are moral dilemmas or false dilemmas
c) Demonstrate the capacity to apply the principles of lesser evil and greater
good in in judging moral dilemmas

Introduction
When you find yourself in a moral dilemma, you are in for a moral
experience. What is a moral dilemma?

Motivating Activity

ANALYSIS
1. What would you do if you are the man in the situation?
2. Explain why you decided to act that way?
3. The situation or the experience you went through is a moral dilemma.
LESSON PROPER:
Moral Dilemma
 It is also referred to as ethical dilemma.
 A "decision-making problem between two possible moral imperatives, neither
of which is unambiguously acceptable or preferable.
 It is sometimes called an ethical paradox in moral philosophy." - Oxford Dictionary
 Situation where there is tension between moral values and duties that are
more or less on equal footing.
 The decision-maker has to choose between a wrong and another wrong.
 The persons involved in the moral dilemma are in a deadlock.
 They find themselves in a "damn-if-you-do and damn-if you-don't" situation.
HOW TO DECIDE IN A MORAL DILEMMA SITUATION:
You have to decide based on your best judgment or choose based on the
principles of 1)lesser evil, 2) greater good and 3)urgency.
False Dilemma
 is a situation where the decision-maker has a moral duty to do one thing right,
but is tempted or under pressure to do something else.
 is a choice between a right and a wrong.
Example of a false dilemma:
The story from the Bible
about King Herod.
On his birthday, his
stepdaughter, Salome
danced so well in front of
him and the guests at his
party that he promised to
give her anything she
wanted. Salome consulted
her mother about what she
should wish for, and decided to ask for the head of John the Baptist on a platter.
The king now had a choice between:
1) honoring the promise to his stepdaughter, or
2) honoring the life of John the Baptist
REFERENCE: Leaño, Gubia-on, Ocampo, (2018). Ethics For College Students. Mindshapers Company Incorporated. Manila, Philippines.