p s

7 M ora s
l
Reasoning
MODEL
t e

BY R
EVIE
LIE R
. ELBO
Ethics
GEC 10
8
M A TH 2-A
D
BSE . M. RODRIGUEZ
PROF
7 Steps Moral Reasoning Model
1. Your friend has a great sense of humor. However,
sometimes his jokes involve making fun of others in
inappropriate ways. He will point out a physical flaw or
look for something odd or different about a person and
make an unkind comment. You feel uncomfortable when
your friend does this. Do you say something or just laugh
along with him?

Step 1: GATHER THE FACTS

The issue discussed is indeed complicated to the extent that it is

attributable to my friend's over-the-top sense of wit, he is spouting
aloud remarks which may potentially harm the individuals with
whom he is conversing, and I am uneasy as a result.

As a comrade, I'm torn whether I will be embracing him with his

silliness and concealing my sentiments, or making a move and
attempting to convey a modicum of humanity and discipline with his
demeanor.

Step 2: DETERMINE THE ETHICAL ISSUES

Virtue, integrity, truthfulness, compassion, tolerance, and the guts

to support our loved ones are all being weighed in this situation.
Considering the conditions, we may see that our ability to endure
somebody closest to us for an indefinite period even if that someone
is doing something wrong is being strained. Furthermore, our
commitment to being decent and considerate is now being thrown
into doubt, particularly in regards to voicing out concerns for my
friend.

Therefore, the given circumstances is dividing our moral principles

into two contradicting stands. It is my friend’s freedom of speech
along with my support to him as his friend versus the need to correct
him and protect the people he is offending.

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7 Steps Moral Reasoning Model

Step 3: IDENTIFY THE PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE A BEARING ON THE

CASE

Principles:

1. My friend have all the right to do what he wants for we all have
freedom in our hands.
2. As a friend, I am ought to made known to him the things I perceive
to be wrong with his actions.
3. Compassion and sensitivity must always be prioritize for the sake
of other people.

Crucial Question:
Does my friend’s actions worst enough to substantiate the course of
correcting and defying him?

Some may claim:

My friend's action must not be tackled critically for he is just spitting
out his hilarious extremity.

Worst Case Scenario:

Once I've confronted him, he might take my comments as insulting
prejudices against him. By this, the situation could reach the point in
where we would be push back towards ending our friendship.
Nevertheless, if I would not interfere with his improper conducts,
people would dethroned and think of the worst about us, given that
they'll be harmed with my friend's vocabularies.

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7 Steps Moral Reasoning Model
Step 4: LIST THE ALTERNATIVES

We could observe that this moral dilemma is intended to confront

ethics in such a manner in which I am now having driven down a
slippery slope wherein I must choose among two aspects that may
simultaneously contradict my morality based on the principles that
are already being disputed. These options are:

1. First, I have the option of approaching my buddy concerning his

indifference and hoping to convince him that it is extremely
problematic to witness him insult everyone else.

2. Second, I also have the choice to disregard the potential

repercussions of his conduct, and simply tolerate him to carry on
with his jokes as a way of showing my solidarity and acceptance for
him as his comrade.

Other Solutions:

I will warn the people around us with his attitude and please
them enough to at least don’t take his words seriously.
I will indirectly make my friend stop his misconducts by either
diverting the conversation or urging him to joke about other
things that are less offensive.

Step 5: COMPARE ALTERNATIVES WITH PRINCIPLES

The solutions provided can diversely influence the stated

principles. First of all, following the first solution will be in according
with the second and third principle which tackles about my
responsibility to tell him the wrong things he has been doing and the
mechanism of being considerate to other people. However, doing this
could overlook the first principle. Second, if I were to rely on the
second option, I will then be in harmony with the first principle and
in return I will inviolate the second and the third ones.

In the other extreme, the other solutions might give me a better

interrelationships with the principles. For an instance, if I were to
warn our colleagues about his attitude, all of the principles will be
fulfilled. This goes the same when it comes to attempting to divert
the jokes of my friend into other things.

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7 Steps Moral Reasoning Model
Step 6: ASSESS THE CONSEQUENCES

The outcomes of the solutions above would be recognized to be

varied, as their philosophies are dramatically different. Let us discuss
them one by one.

1. First, I have the option of approaching my buddy concerning his

indifference and hoping to convince him that it is extremely
problematic to witness him insult everyone else.

Primarily, if I will choose to do the first option my friend could

realize his mistakes and eventually change for it.

By this, he could not hurt anyone any longer.

However, I am not closing my doors to the possibility that I could

also hurt him enough to end our friendship over this moral
dilemma.

2. Second, I also have the choice to disregard the potential

repercussions of his conduct, and simply tolerate him to carry on
with his jokes as a way of showing my solidarity and acceptance for
him as his comrade.

Meanwhile, if will depend on the second judgment, I will be in

need of hiding my very own perspective and principles, and
permit him to just continue with his exorbitant jokes and wit.

However, I am afraid that by doing this, tons of people will be

possibly hurt by my friend, and somehow, I have a fault on this.

On the bright side, I could keep him as my friend.

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7 Steps Moral Reasoning Model
Other Solutions:

- I will warn the people around us with his attitude and please them
enough to at least don’t take his words seriously.

There is a possibility that people won’t perceive his jokes as

offending because they are now aware with my friend’s behavior.
However, there is no significant changes done with my friend’s
inappropriate actions.

-- I will indirectly make my friend stop his misconducts by either

diverting the conversation or urging him to joke about other things
that are less offensive.

There would be less insults from my friend’s mouth which means

less harm to other people.
I can fulfill my obligations as his friend.
There is still a possibility that I can’t stop my friend from his
wrongdoings.

Step 7: MAKE A DECISION

Conclusively, if I were to choose between the said options, there

is no doubt that I will choose the first one. Personally, I am a person
of respect and dignity, which means that there is no circumstance
that could bend my principles. Analyzing this moral dilemma, it is
crystal clear to me that the best thing to do is to correct him. As his
friend, I have the responsibility to voice out the things that is wrong
to my perspective. This is not to humiliate him or to offend him,
rather, this is a mechanism of love portrayal for I care for him and the
things he do. Although there is a chance that he will be hurt, I will
stand strong with what is right and hopefully convince him enough
to be with me on our moral journey. In addition, I also believe that
true friendship would never be indifferent, and if you care for one
another, both of you will be open minded when it comes to such
issues. With this, I therefore conclude that the best option is to
correct him even if it takes that our friendship will be over.

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7 Steps Moral Reasoning Model
2. Over the summer, you became friends with a person
who moved to your town. You have the same interest, like
the same music and movies, and have had a great deal of
fun. However, your new friend is not attractive and very
loud. When school starts, you are embarrassed by the way
your friend acts. Do you remain friends or drop the
relationship?

Step 1: GATHER THE FACTS

It is stated in the provided circumstance that I have made a

newfound acquaintance who shares my pursuits. Regardless, I’m
absolutely disturbed by his noise and bodily attributes reason why I
am being in between of two stone and that is appreciating our
relationship and endeavoring to overlook his imperfections, or
sticking with my own judgment and inclinations. Hence, I'll decide if
I'll continue to embrace him as a colleague or terminate our
friendship because of my concerns.

Step 2: DETERMINE THE ETHICAL ISSUES

In this situation, acceptance, respect, subconsciousness, and

integrity will indeed be jeopardized. These values will confront me
with a variety of difficulties, as they'll be necessary to tackle my
thoughts concerning him, and yet they would also be the ones that
will obstruct my ideals towards myself. To put it another way, if I
continue to value my beliefs through my integrity, acceptance and
respect will be compromised, and vice versa.

Hence, we can understand that either of which, we are down to

two conflicting dimension. That is to, stood strong with my
dispositions or be compassionate with my friend’s conception.

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7 Steps Moral Reasoning Model
Step 3: IDENTIFY THE PRINCIPLES THAT HAVE A BEARING ON THE
CASE
Principles:
1. Humans have the right to be accepted and be safe from racism and
discrimination.
2. People have the freedom to have their own opinions, perspectives,
thoughts and ideals.
Crucial Question:
Is my standards and perspective enormous enough to end a
friendship over such grounds?
Some may claim:
Discrimination is a sin that we should never commit with.
Worst Case Scenario:
Ending my friendship with him could lead me into having him mad at
me and at the same time, at the eyes of other people, I am the bad guy
in the story. Nevertheless, continuing my relationship with him
would mean a never ending embarrassment.
Step 4: LIST THE ALTERNATIVES
As there are interdependent factors in this condition, it's difficult to
take some decisions, plus our ideals may dispute in this case.
Evaluating this given dilemma, I can conclude that there are only two
technical solutions for me in this scenario.
1. One of which is to embrace his shortcomings and deficiencies
totally whereas he is my buddy, even if I am going against my
thoughts and perspectives.
2. The second choice, on the alternative end, is to retain my
consistency and viewpoints concerning him, this would mean that I
will fight for my opinion and be irrespective of the reality that my
behavior towards him will upset and outrage him.
Other Solutions:
I could ask him to be away from me when we are in school or if
there are other people around us.
I will tell him to stop being loud and have some changes on his
looks, specially when we are together.

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7 Steps Moral Reasoning Model
Step 5: COMPARE ALTERNATIVES WITH PRINCIPLES
Assessing the given principles and solutions, we can see some
interrelationships to address. First of all, the first solution will be
corresponding with our first principle, and that is no one shall be
discriminated and I could do this by accepting my friend. However,
this would mean that I will be going against my own right to have
and fight for my opinions.
Moreover, the second option will effectuate the second principle
which is to carry through with my own notions. By doing this, I
would be then contradicting the first principle. Meanwhile, the other
solutions could also affect the principles diversely, but I think both of
them are just band-aid solutions.
Step 6: ASSESS THE CONSEQUENCES
Given the said solutions, we should also understand that both of
which can lead to varying results.

1. One of which is to embrace his shortcomings and deficiencies

totally whereas he is my buddy, even if I am going against my
thoughts and perspectives.
Precisely, the first solution could imply that we will remain
friends since I will be modifying my perceptions about him as
well as taking a step a towards embracing him with all he is.
As I choose to still be friends with him, I will be needing to
compromise by undergoing going a process of acceptance which
I'm sure is a difficult thing to do.
2.The second choice, on the alternative end, is to retain my
consistency and viewpoints concerning him, this would mean that I
will fight for my opinion and be irrespective of the reality that my
behavior towards him will upset and outrage him.
Meanwhile, if I choose the second option, I will have to deal with
losing him as my colleague and possibly hurt him as well for I
know that being dump by someone whom you treat as a friend is
a big blow.
Nonetheless, it will also benefit me in a way that I've come to
tolerate my paradigms about him and our friendship.

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7 Steps Moral Reasoning Model
Other Solutions:

- I could ask him to be away from me when we are in school or if

there are other people around us.

He might be offended and eventually have an idea that I am

ashamed of him.

If he will understand me, we will remain friends secretly.

- I will tell him to stop being loud and have some changes on his
looks, specially when we are together.

He would perceive that I am not in favor with his characteristics

which may anger him.

However, there is also a possibility that he will change his self for
me.

Step 7: MAKE A DECISION

Finally, to decide on this circumstance, I will definitely rely with

the first option and that is to remain as his friend. For me, there is
always a silent obligation between friends, which is to always have
the backs of one another. Even if my opinions for him is slightly
disheveled, there is no enough reason for me to leave him. Friends
must always be accepting with each other's flaws and although my
principles could be alienate, I know for myself that respect and
compassion for other people must always comes first. Without these
two aspects, nothing could really result into something good because
there will be no harmony and solidarity that could bind us all
together. Furthermore, I always live through the saying that "No man
is an island". We can never survive alone. We need to be with others
so that we can live life to its purpose, and to do that we must be more
open and welcoming. Mischief and insensitivity should be the last
thing that we could ever prioritize. By that, I therefore conclude that
instead of putting myself first, I will choose to value our friendship
and stand with my friend's imperfections.
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