WHAT ARE DILEMMAS
We say that a person is in a dilemma if he or she finds himself or herself in a
situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two courses of action.
Almossawi disagrees with this definition of dilemma, which he calls a «false
dilemma». He argues that a "false dilemma" is an argument that presents a limited
set of two possible categories and assumes that everything in the scope of the
decision must be an element of that set. It appears that Almossawi's argument is
applicable to a moral dilemma where, when faced with a moral conflict, we have to
choose between two or more actions and have moral reasons for choosing each
action, either of which entails transgressing a moral principle. In the case of
Armando and Maria's friend, you have a moral dilemma.
In each case, a person has moral reasons to do each of two actions, but doing both
actions is not possible. Ethicists have called situations like these moral dilemmas.
As already discussed, a dilemma is a situation where a person is forced to choose
between two or more conflicting options, neither of which is acceptable. As we can
see, the key here is that the person has choices to make that will result in
something he or she does not want.
For example, a town mayor faces a dilemma about how to protect and preserve a
virgin forest while at the same time allowing miners and loggers to contribute to
economic development in the town. It must be noted, however, that if a person is in
a difficult situation but is not forced to choose between two or more options, then
that person is not in a dilemma. The least that we can say is that the person is just
experiencing a problematic or distressful situation. Thus, the most logical thing to
do for that person is to look for alternatives or solutions to address the problem.
When dilemmas involve human actions that have moral implications, they are
called ethical or moral dilemmas. Moral dilemmas, therefore, are situations where
persons, who are called «moral agents» in ethics, are forced to choose between two
or more conflicting options, neither of which resolves the situation in a morally
acceptable manner. Now, if this happens, the development of the fetus will
definitely endanger the mother. If the fetus is not aborted, then Lindsay, as well as
the fetus, will die.
We say that a person is in a dilemma if he or she finds himself or herself in a
situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two courses of action.
Almossawi disagrees with this definition of dilemma, which he calls a «false
dilemma». He argues that a "false dilemma" is an argument that presents a limited
set of two possible categories and assumes that everything in the scope of the
decision must be an element of that set. It appears that Almossawi's argument is
applicable to a moral dilemma where, when faced with a moral conflict, we have to
choose between two or more actions and have moral reasons for choosing each
action, either of which entails transgressing a moral principle. In the case of
Armando and Maria's friend, you have a moral dilemma.
In each case, a person has moral reasons to do each of two actions, but doing both
actions is not possible. Ethicists have called situations like these moral dilemmas.
As already discussed, a dilemma is a situation where a person is forced to choose
between two or more conflicting options, neither of which is acceptable. As we can
see, the key here is that the person has choices to make that will result in
something he or she does not want.
For example, a town mayor faces a dilemma about how to protect and preserve a
virgin forest while at the same time allowing miners and loggers to contribute to
economic development in the town. It must be noted, however, that if a person is in
a difficult situation but is not forced to choose between two or more options, then
that person is not in a dilemma. The least that we can say is that the person is just
experiencing a problematic or distressful situation. Thus, the most logical thing to
do for that person is to look for alternatives or solutions to address the problem.
When dilemmas involve human actions that have moral implications, they are
called ethical or moral dilemmas. Moral dilemmas, therefore, are situations where
persons, who are called «moral agents» in ethics, are forced to choose between two
or more conflicting options, neither of which resolves the situation in a morally
acceptable manner. Now, if this happens, the development of the fetus will
definitely endanger the mother. If the fetus is not aborted, then Lindsay, as well as
the fetus, will die.
