Ethical Dilemma Essay

1747 Words7 Pages
Every day, we make decisions that impact our life, or the lives of those around us. Many of those decisions are grounded in our core values, morals and ethics, all of which are inextricably tied together. Values are what we learn from childhood; the 'stuff' we absorb from our parents and immediate surroundings. Morals are the intrinsic beliefs developed from the value systems of how we 'should' behave in any given situation. Ethics, on the other hand, are how we actually do behave in the face of those difficult situations that test our moral fiber. Ethicist Rushworth Kidder believes ethics are based on 5 core values: honesty, responsibility, respect, fairness and compassion and lacking just one of these can make you unethical. The easiest of these decisions we may have to make are those between what is right and what is wrong. In his book, How Good People Make Tough Choices, ethicist Rushworth Kidder explains that while most of us can tell right from wrong, the situations that truly test our ethics are those questions of right vs. right. He defines these as ethical dilemmas precisely because “each side is firmly rooted in one of our basic, core values.” They pit one of the values we hold dear against another and are “at the heart of our toughest choices”. Kidder identifies four paradigms for understanding ethical dilemmas in his book: 1. Truth vs. Loyalty: should I honor what I know to be true or real or honor my allegiance to a person, group, or set of ideas. It is right to stand on truth. It is right to be loyal. 2. Individual vs. Community: should I base my decision on what benefits me or what benefits the larger community? It is right to consider the individual. It is right to consider the community. 3. Short-Term vs. Long-Term: should I focus on the benefits and requirements of the present or should I focus on the need for a safe and secure future.
Open Document