What is an ethical dilemma? The word
While the former scenario is
‘ethical dilemma’ is self–explanatory. It
indicates confusion related to the
ethics of a person. Ethical dilemma is a
complex situation which often
originates from conflict between the
moral imperatives of two persons. In
some cases, this confusion may arise
within a single person when his/her moral
principles cannot determine the right
course of action. It may also occur
between people and often occurs due
to conflicts in ideologies. An ethical
dilemma can happen anywhere and
anytime but, it’s most oft repeated
occurrence is seen in workplaces. This
is because of the diversity of the people
there. People in a workplace come from
various cultural and moral back grounds
and so, the chances of conflict are higher.
Workplaces usually have definite patterns
of action which may contrast with the
ideologies of an employee or vice versa.
This may result in an internal conflict in
the employee resulting in confusion on
what should be done and what shouldn’t.
This article illustrates ethical dilemma and
also deals with the ways to resolve it.
Browse down to read more!
Moral dilemma Examples
 Ethical dilemma may arise due to
a conflict between the professional
and personal values of a person. For
instance, if a physician attending an
important family function is called to
attend an emergency, there arises a
dilemma. If the physician leaves for
the hospital, his duty to the family is
breached but if he doesn’t then his
duty as a doctor is jeopardized. 
 The conflict between two
professional values may also give
rise to an ethical dilemma. For
instance, a patient showing
reluctance towards treatment can be
dealt with in two ways. He can either
be coerced to accept the treatment
against his/her or left to his/her
wishes.
contrary to a patient’s personal
autonomy and questions a doctor’s
rights in a patient’s life, the latter
contradicts the oath of non-
maleficence that is a basis of
medical practice. Both the above are
ethical violations and the pressure of
which violation to select can give
rise to ethical dilemma for the
medical staff.
 A conflict between a person’s
moral values and perceived role may
also lead to ethical dilemma. For
instance, if a physician, who is
absolutely against the idea of
abortion, comes across a patient for
whom pregnancy can pave way to
sure death, an ethical dilemma for
the medical practitioner is inevitable.
 Ethical dilemma may, at times,
arise due to unavoidable alternatives
also. For example, if an employee is
asked to manipulate reports for the
benefit of the company then he has
two options – either follow the way
shown by the company officials and
go ahead with the manipulation or
act as a whistleblower to bring the
malpractice to common notice. The
choice again would depend upon the
financial well-doing of an employee
and if the employee agrees to the
manipulation due to lack of any
other alternative, ethical dilemma is
a certainty.
How To Resolve Ethical Dilemma
 
Think About The Consequences
When faced with an ethical dilemma
where you just can't be sure of what is
right and what is wrong, slow down and
analyze the consequences of all the
possible decisions that you can take and
find out answer for the below questions
for both the long and short run.
 Who all will be benefitted?
 Who all will be hurt?
 What all are the benefits?
 What all are the harms?
After listing the answers to the above
questions, give due weightage to both the
negatives and the positives.
Consider The Course Of Action
After considering the consequences, try to
consider the most beneficial or practical
course of action. Find out which principles
are you ready to breach and which are the
ones you’d never let go off and why. Plan
your actions in accordance to that.
 
Make A Decision
In the end, do it. No matter how much
time you spend evading a problem, you
cannot stay away from taking a decision.
With the previous steps guiding you
towards a sane decision, your chances of
faltering are significantly reduced.
Consider the above mentioned things and
make a decision with minimum harm to
your moral principles.
 
Ethical dilemma or moral dilemma is an
unpleasant situation which almost all of us
experience at different times in life. Above
article seeks to help you overcome the
helplessness and mental pressure that
comes with such a situation.
   In real life, we need to understand that
not all moral problems could be solved
within the personal level. Though
obviously, most moral dilemmas are "felt"
and resolved in such level.
   However, there are some moral
dilemmas which solutions needed a
consensus of the members of an
organization or at least, some kind of
"bargaining" or "lobbying" that would
change an existing complex structure.  political will, obsolete policies, and others.
   Hence, to advance our lecture, I will
present to you the 3 levels of moral
dilemmas, and these are:
1. Personal Dilemma: a common
dilemma experienced by an
individual. In this level, the moral
problem is unique and distinctive to
the moral agent who is confronted by
the moral situation, such that, it
entails a private and peculiar solution
from the individual. 
2. Organizational Dilemma:This
dilemma exists within an
organization or a particular
sector.  It refers to the colliding
interests of an individual and that of
the organization.
3. Systemic Dilemma: It is a problem
due to issues inherent in the
overall system such that, a change
to the structure, organization or
policies in that system could alleviate
the systemic problem.
Thus, it remains at the personal level if
the dilemma refers to attending a
basketball try out or obeying your father.
But, the moral problem may be
organizational in level if attending or not
attending the basketball game would
affect the team's performance and likely
to loose a good standing in the overall
ranking. Likewise, disobedience in the
family is a gross moral violation that may
severely affect the relationships of the
members in the family...in such, the act
of disobedience may lead to disputes and
dissents of opinions among family
members.
The systemic dilemma is a "bloated"
moral problem which did not happen
overnight. Remember that it aims
to change a system, hence, the moral
dilemma is obviously a problem that
relates to practices and traditions that had
prevailed over a period of time. Example
of this level are: corruption, lack of
So the next time you encounter a moral number of complications when attempting
problem, it is necessary that you establish to make a decision.
the level of the dilemma before you find
yourself severely affected when the 4. World-imposed moral dilemmas
supposed solution is never within your
capacity as an individual moral agent. A world-imposed dilemma is a situation
where events that we can’t control have
6 TYPES OF MORAL DILEMMAS
created an unavoidable moral conflict.
There are several categories of moral
An individual must resolve a moral
dilemmas within philosophical thought.
dilemma, even though the cause of it is
They can seem complex, but learning the
beyond his/her control. For example, this
basics of them can help identify them and
could be in times of war or a financial
mould a solution for them:
crash.
1. Epistemic moral dilemmas
5. Obligation moral dilemmas
‘Epistemic’ means to do with the
Obligation dilemmas are situations where
knowledge of something. This is what this
we feel we are obliged to opt for more
dilemma is about.
than one choice. We feel we are obliged to
The situation involves two moral choices carry out an action from a moral or legal
that conflict, but the individual has no standpoint.
idea which choice is the most morally
If there were just one option that is
acceptable. They don’t know which is the
obligatory, then the choice would be easy.
most ethically viable. They need more
However, if an individual feels obliged to
information and knowledge surrounding
opt for several of the choices in front of
the two options before making
them but can only choose one, which one
an informed decision.
should they choose?
2. Ontological moral dilemmas
6. Prohibition moral dilemmas
‘Ontological’ means the nature of
Prohibition dilemmas are the opposite of
something or the relation between things.
obligation dilemmas. The choices that are
The options in this dilemma are equal in
offered to us are all, on some
their moral consequences.
level, morally reprehensible.
This means that neither of
They can all be considered as wrong, but
them supersedes the other. They are
we must choose one. They could be
fundamentally on the same ethical level.
illegal, or just plain immoral. An individual
Therefore, the individual cannot choose
must choose between what would
between the two.
normally be considered as prohibited.
3. Self-imposed moral dilemmas

A self-imposed dilemma is a situation that

has been caused by the individual’s
mistakes or misconduct. The moral
dilemma is self-inflicted. This can cause a