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Ethical Theories & Moral Dilemmas

Different ethical theories involve differing procedures, implications, and justifications for solving moral dilemmas. A moral dilemma occurs when an individual has to face a choice between two different ethical solutions, solutions that are contradictory. Our society depends on a sense of morality as part of the normative structure of the citizenry, and the normative structure is what we accept as a minimum of shared understanding of what is moral, serving thus as a guide to our behavior and to our judgment about the behavior of others. A moral dilemma tests our definitions and our resolve to find ways of balancing competing interests. Three theories offering their own definitions to the terms procedure, implications, and justification are Egoism, Utilitarianism, and Respect for Persons.

The individual faced with a moral dilemma must first have a strong moral sense and a moral code as a guide to making decisions. The problem here is that he or she is faced with opposing choices, either of which under other circumstances might be the right one, but one of which now has to be selected over the other. A strong moral code should enable the individual to make the decision as to the relative merits of the two choices, whether one is more right than the other, who will be hurt and who helped by each choice, and what higher morality will be served by each choice. Our social institutions promote underlying moral structures that are to guide us in our democratic life. These institutions both place limitations on individualism and also promote the individual as a social good. One problem is that these institutions may not be working effectively to balance these two opposing forces, yet balancing these opposing interests are precisely what we all must do.

Our acts have consequences, but they also have different consequences on different people. Under Egoism, an act may be considered right of it produces the most pleasure or happ...

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Ethical Theories & Moral Dilemmas. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 09:22, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1690130.html