Resolving an Ethical Dilemma: A Perspective.

Over the past few entries in this month of April, I've been very fortunate to have had sharing with you my thoughts and ideas on the subject of ECONOMICS. Now I would like to shift from Economics dilemma to ethical dilemma.

We can't just sit back and watch everything fall into place. If determinism allows us to escape the anxiety of responsibility for our actions, it still does not allow us to escape the anxiety of having to be ethical. Socrates, the ancient Greek philosopher who spent his days walking around the Athenian marketplace making a pest of himself by challenging people to think about how they lived their lives.


As Socrates explained it, he believed that his mission was to ask his fellow citizens, "Are you not ashamed of your eagerness to possess as much wealth, reputation and honors as possible, while you do not care for nor give thought to wisdom and truth, or the best possible state of your soul?"

Believing that "the most important thing is not life, but the good life," Socrates died rather than use unscrupulous ways to avoid being executed on trumped-up charges.

So you’ve got an ethical dilemma on your hands. How do you figure out what to do?

Generally speaking, there are two major approaches that philosophers use in handling ethical dilemmas. One approach focuses on the practical consequences of what we do; the other concentrates on the actions themselves.

The first school of thought basically argues "no harm, no foul"; the second claims that some actions are simply wrong. Thinkers have debated the relative merits of these approaches for centuries, but for the purpose of getting help with handling ethical dilemmas, think of them as complementary strategies for analyzing and resolving problems.

(By the way, we’re going to assume that if there are any laws involved, you plan to obey them. This isn’t to say that it’s always morally wrong to break laws).

First, Analyze The Consequences.

It’s probably easier to start by looking at the consequences of the actions you’re considering. Assume you have a variety of options. Consider the range of both positive and negative consequences connected with each one. Ask yourself...
Who will be helped by what you do? Who will be hurt? What kind of benefits and harms are we talking about?
After looking at all of your options, which one produces the best mix of benefits over harms?

Second, Analyze The Actions

Now consider all of your options from a completely different perspective. Don’t think about the consequences. Concentrate instead strictly on the actions.
How do they measure up against moral principles like honesty, fairness, equality, respecting the dignity of others, respecting people' s rights, and recognizing the vulnerability of individuals weaker or less fortunate than others?
Do any of the actions that you' re considering "cross the line."

Third, Make A Decision

And now, take both parts of your analysis into account and make a decision.

This should give you at least some basic steps you can follow.
Good Luck...