SUBJECT FACILITATOR: SHENA LYN PASIA-GARCIA

SY AND SEM: SY 2020 – 2021/FIRST SEMESTER

WHAT THIS CHAPTER/TOPIC WILL COVER:

UNIT 1: ETHICS AND PHILOSOPHICAL INQUIRY
UNIT 2: MORAL DILEMMA

TOPIC 2: Moral Dilemma

UNIT 2: Moral Dilemma
What is moral dilemma? What are the elements of moral
dilemma?

INTRODUCTION

In this module, the students will learn what a moral dilemma is. They will be
introduces to divine and natural law that can serve as the criteria by which people can judge
the morality or immorality of their decisions when faced with moral dilemma.

UNIT LEARNING OUTCOMES

At the end of the unit, you will be able to:

1. Define moral dilemma.
2. Identify the elements of a moral dilemma; and
3. Apply divine and natural laws as bases of solving moral dilemmas.

TIME ALLOCATION FOR THIS UNIT: 3 HOURS PER WEEK

RESOURCES MATERIALS YOU NEED TO LEARN THIS UNIT

1. Learning Packet module Guide

2. Lecture power point and video
 PRE TEST

What is Moral dilemma?

What are the Elements in Moral Decision-

making?

Steps in solving a Moral Dilemma

LECTURE:

Moral Dilemma

Moral dilemmas are instances when individuals are confronted with conflicting
answers to the question, “what is right?” Answers to this question come from various
sources. One is personal experiences or the thing an individual gains every day social
interactions. Another source – the one pursued by philosophers – is to obtain moral
judgments by applying the principles of morality. In psychology, a moral dilemma is said to
arise when distinct psychological mechanisms for moral judgment yield conflicting judgment
of individual cases. Situations like these can place a person in a moral conflict, in which
several alternative courses of action can have positive and negative outcomes. Conflict
typically involves values, beliefs and norms. Thus, conflict is rooted not only in individual
behavior but also in different values and norms of society.

The English Oxford Dictionary defines moral dilemma as situation in which a difficult
choice has to made between two course of action, either of which entails transgressing a
moral principle. In matters of right and wrong, individuals are expected to have a moral
principle to guide them in moral decision – making. In philosophy, a moral dilemma is based
on a distinction between what one foresees ( or could and should have foreseen) as a
results of his or her voluntary action (free will) and what, in the strict sense, he or she intends
to do.

Moral dilemma relates primarily to the principle of double effect that takes root in the
teaching of St. Tomas Aquinas. In his work Summa Theologica, St. Thomas introduces the
principles of double effect in his discussion on the permissibility of self – defense. He himself
holds that killing one’s assailant is justified, provided that one does not intend to kill him or
her. The act of self – defense may have double effect: first, the saving of one’s own life;
second, the slaying of the aggressor. He also argues that since one’s intention is to save
one’s own life, the act is not unlawful. However, St. Thomas maintains that the permissibility
of self – defense is not unconditional. The act of self – defense may be rendered unlawful if
a man in self – defense unnecessary violence.

Important Elements in Moral Decision – making

The New Catholic Encyclopedia list the principal conditions of the principle of double
effect:

1. The act itself must be morally good or at least indifferent.

2. The agent may not positively will the bad effect but may permit it. If he or she
could attain the good effect without the bad effect, he or she should do. The bad
effect is sometimes said to be indirectly voluntary.

3. The good effect must flow from the action at least as immediately as the bad
effect. In other words, the good effect must be produced directly by the action,
not by the bad effect. Otherwise, the agent would be using a bad means to a
good end, which is never allowed.

4. The good effect must be sufficiently desirable to compensate for allowing of the
bad effect.

In his book Ethics, Paul Glenn further describes when one performs an act, not evil in
itself, from there flows two effects – one good and one evil. One may perform such
act when following essential conditions are fulfilled:

1. The evil effect must not precede the good effect.

2. There must be a reason sufficiently grave calling for the act is its good
effect.

3. The intention of the agent (person, doer) must be honest.

Steps in Solving Moral Dilemma

 Making moral decisions is a rational, step – by – step process that requires the
careful analysis of alternatives and their consequences. Using the principles that govern
moral decisions, the following steps are suggested:

1. Examine the act in relation to the agent.

The immorality of human act is determined by examining the acts in

themselves in their relation to agents (person, doer) who performs them. The
agent and the facts surrounding the acts must be assessed.

2. Determine the consequences of the acts.

The second step of testing the morality or immorality of human act is called
consequentialism. The principle of consequentialism suggests that one must weigh
the consequences of human act to determine whether it is moral or immoral.

3. Identify the intentions of the acts.

For St. Thomas, the morality or immorality of the act resides in the intention of
the human person. If the agent intends to cause harmful consequences, then the act
is immoral.

4. Decide in accordance to divine and natural laws which govern moral life.

St. Thomas holds that not all aspects of the human person are either moral or
immoral. Nonetheless, he suggests that divine and natural laws are criteria by which
people can judge the morality or immorality of their moral decisions especially when
they are faced with moral dilemmas. In pursuit of moral decisions, the human person
must discern and make all the right choices by relating them to divine law and
ultimate good of humanity.

Key Points

● Moral dilemmas are instances when individual are confronted with conflicting
answers to the questions, “what is right?” As social problems intensify, people
tend to experience situations in which a difficult choice or decision are faced
with moral dilemmas.
● Thus, making moral decisions is a rational, step-by-step process that requires
careful analysis of alternatives and their consequences.
● The principle of consequentialism suggests that one must look into the
consequences of a human act to determine whether it is moral or immoral.
● Nonetheless, the morality or immorality of the act resides in the intention of
the person.
● In pursuit of moral decisions, therefore, a person must discern and relate his
or her moral; decisions to divine law to make all the right choices in life.
 Assessment:

NAME: _________________________________________________________________

YEAR AND SECTION: __________________________ DATE: ____________________

Answer the following questions.

1. What are the elements in making moral decisions? Explain.

2. Discuss the importance of divine and natural laws in moral decisions?

Application:

NAME: _________________________________________________________________

YEAR AND SECTION: __________________________ DATE: ____________________

1. Using the principles of moral decision-making, answer the following:

a. You are an eyewitness to a robbery. A man robbed a rich woman for him to pay
for his son’s crucial operation. You know who committed the crime. If you go to
the police to report the crime, there is a strong possibility that the money will be
returned to the rich woman. What will you do? Will you report the crime and tell
the truth to the police or say nothing since the money will be used for the
operation and the son will be saved? Justify your answer.

b. You are a doctor at a hospital. You have five seriously ill patients, four of whom
are in urgent need of organ transplants. You cannot help them because there are
no available organs that can be used to save their lives. The fifth patient, a
criminal, has a lingering illness that can no longer be treated If he dies, you will
be able to save the other for patients by using his organ for transplant. What will
you do? Explain your answer.
Reflection

NAME: _________________________________________________________________

YEAR AND SECTION: __________________________ DATE: ____________________

Watch the movie Anak which is a Filipino family drama film directed by Rory Quintos
and starring Vilma Santos. The movie is a depiction of the ethical dilemmas that
OFW parents face and endure to provide for their family. Write your reflection on and
insights from the movie.