1Moral Dilemmas

7/27/2019 1Moral Dilemmas

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Moral Dilemmas


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Moral dilemmas

A situation in which, whatever choice is made,the agent commits a moral wrong


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Moral Dilemmas

Example from Book I of Plato'sRepublic

Cephalus defines justice as speaking the truth

and paying one's debts.

Socrates quickly refutes this account by

suggesting that it would be wrong to repay

certain debts (weapon)


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Moral dilemmas

Socrates' point is not that repaying debts is

without moral import; rather, he wants to show

that it is not always right to repay one's

debts.


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Moral Dilemmas

There is a conflict between two moral norms:

repaying one's debts and protecting others

from harm.


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Moral Dilemmas

The agent regards herself as having moral

reasons to do each of two actions, but doing

both is not possible


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Moral Dilemmas

When one of the conflicting requirements

overrides the other, we do not have a genuine

moral dilemma.

In the Crito, Does Socrates confront a moraldilemma?


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Moral Dilemmas

1. Something morally

right

2. Something morally

wrong

Bad outcome

Good or better

outcome


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Moral Dilemma

A woman was near death from a unique kind of

cancer. There is a drug that might save her. The drug

costs $4,000 per dosage. The sick woman's husband,

Heinz, went to everyone he knew to borrow themoney and tried every legal means, but he could only

get together about $2,000. He asked the doctor

scientist who discovered the drug for a discount or

that he let him pay later. But the doctor scientistrefused.


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Moral Dilemma

Should Heinz break into the laboratory to steal

the drug for his wife?

(Why or why not?)


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Moral Stages

Lawrence Kohlberg (1927-87)


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Kohlberg

Kohlberg proposed that moral reasoning,

which he thought to be the basis for ethical

behavior, develops through stages.


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Moral Stages

Level 1: PRE-CONVENTIONAL

Level 2: CONVENTIONAL

Level 3: POST-CONVENTIONAL


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Kohlbergs Stages

Level 1 (Pre-conventional)

Reasoners judge the morality of an action by its

direct consequences

Stage One: Obedience and Punishment

Stage Two: Individualism, Instrumentalism, andExchange


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Heinz Dilemma

Stage One (obedience): Heinz should not steal

the medicine, because otherwise he will be put

in prison.


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Pre-conventional level

Stage One (obedience orientation)

Individuals focus on the direct consequences

that their actions will have for themselves.


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Socrates Dilemma

From the point of view of Stage One, Socrates

should not die because


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Heinz Moral Dilemma

Pre-conventional Level

Stage Two (self-interest): Heinz should stealthe medicine, because he will be much happier

if he saves his wife, even if he will have to

serve a prison sentence.


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Kohlbergs Stages

Stage Two (self-interest orientation):

what's in it for me position. Right behavior is

defined by what is in one's own best interest.


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Socrates Dilemma

From a level two perspective, Socrates should

not die because


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Heinz Moral Dilemma

CONVENTIONAL LEVEL

Stage Three (conformity): Heinz should steal

the medicine, because his wife expects it.


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Conventional level

Stage Three (conformity orientation)

Individuals seek approval from other people.They judge the morality of actions by

evaluating the consequences of these actions

for a person's relationships.


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Socrates dilemma

Socrates should not die because


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Heinz Dilemma

Stage Four (law-and-order): Heinz should not

steal the medicine, because the law prohibits

stealing.


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Conventional level

Stage Four (law-and-order mentality).In stage four, individuals think it is important

to obey the law and conventions of society.


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Socrates Dilemma

Socrates should die because


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Kohlbergs Stages

Level 3 (Post-conventional)

(Most people do not reach this level of moral

reasoning)

Stage Five: Human Rights

Stage Six: Universal Ethical Principles

(Principled Conscience)


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Heinz moral dilemma

Stage five (human rights):

Heinz should steal the medicine becausesaving his wife is more important than obeying

the law.


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Post-conventional level

Stage Five (human rights orientation)

People have certain principles to which they

attach more value than laws, such as human

rights.

An action is wrong if it violates certain ethical

principles.

Laws that do not promote general social

welfare should be changed


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Socrates dilemma

Socrates should not die?

We are at level 3!!!!


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Stage six (universal human ethics):

Heinz should steal the medicine, becausesaving a human life is a more fundamental

value than respecting the property of another

person.


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Stage Six (ethical principle orientation).

Moral reasoning is based on the use of abstractreasoning using universal principles.

(People rarely, if ever, reach stage 6 ofKohlberg's model)


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Socrates Decision

Socrates chose to die

because.


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Socrates

Should we return the weapon then (accordingto Socrates)?


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Socrates

Socrates maintains that protecting others fromharm is the norm that takes priority

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