ethical dilemmas
Right-versus-right conflicts
Ethical dilemmas are situations where competing moral principles make it impossible to satisfy all of them—choosing one good means sacrificing another.
The classic example: lying to protect someone from harm pits honesty against compassion.
The doctor faced an ethical dilemma between patient confidentiality and public safety.
Unlike simple right-versus-wrong choices, genuine ethical dilemmas involve conflict between legitimate values.
- moral reasoningEvaluating right and wrong
- do the right thingBehave with moral integrity
- integrityMoral soundness and consistency
- whistleblowingExposing hidden wrongdoing internally
- moralityRight and wrong principles
conflict of interest · skin in the game · gray area · utilitarianism · confidentiality · consequentialism · conscience · trolley problem · corporate responsibility · workplace discrimination · informed consent · justice · guilt · tough call · fiduciary duty · honesty · white lie · deontology
- judgment callsjudgment, verdict, ruling, determination, close call
- philosophylogic, metaphysics, ontology, epistemology, axiology
- philosophy termstruth, reason, knowledge, wisdom, logic
- comic book ethicsgood vs evil, justice, redemption, sacrifice, heroism
- Ethics Termsmoral reasoning, moral philosophy, casuistry, teleology, utilitarianism
- literary themesheroism, hero's journey, ennui, social realism, morals
ethical dilemmasno-brainers
Effortlessly obvious decisions
moral certainties · foregone conclusions · slam dunks · self-evident truths