The Usefulness of Ethical Dilemmas

[Prince_James]

I am fond of the classical ethical dilemma. I find them both interesting to ponder, as well as great for developing ideas of what ethics demands of us in certain situations, and what principles are indeed being followed and kept. However, Theory of Relativity has recently brought up a problem with this practice in a recent thread, where she postulates that ethical dilemmas are improper in that they postulate rules which are not found in real life and become simply a game, rather than an exercise in thought that could lead to different results being found.

So thus I ask, are ethical dilemmas useful, given their admitted flaw in only being able to work in full by postulating somewhat arbitrary rules? Or may ethical dilemmas be used if we allow for a fluidic nature to them, letting the dialogue on the matter grow organically?

 

[James R]

The point of ethical dilemmas is that they deliberately omit complexities in order to concentrate on what is seen as a single key question, or perhaps just a few key issues.

Everybody knows real life is complex. That doesn't mean ethical hypotheticals are useless. The good ones can help you work out what is really important, and what is just extraneous complication.

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

The questions are good for revealing what is important to people and their psyche, but they do not teach problem solving ability (not when as you say they are so choice restricted they are not 'real' scenarios anymore).
My answer in the rail track one was a good one re telling the 10 men to get off the line instead, yet immediately it was considered an unfair result by another poster as they want a 'death result' .

What they do not understand is if faced with choices like this in real life, DO NOT accept the death result, do not go with your upbringing which indoctrinates you into following rules so much so you never think for yourself or fear breaking those rules even when life is at stake.

They have done experiemnts on this (re who will torture someone rather than break rules) with the electric shock thing (you know this? If not I'll find a link). people who believed they were giving electric shocks to people continued to do so when told to do so as they signed up to the experiment agreeing to follow rules. They never stopped even when the individual was seemingly screaming their head off! Great experiment and shows how brainwahsed we are re rules. Rule adhereance being more important than inflicting pain and sufferring.

This is my concern: Are these ethical dilemmas preparing our kids to make death choices rather than to see alternatives and to 'break rules' to avoid death choices.

Our governments think ahead, nothing happens by accident. The encouragement of these dilemmas is indeed preparing the youth of today for dehumanizing certain 'humans' so that we can apply 'game theory'. oooh conspiracist on the loose!

 

[imaplanck.]

Tor it is perfectly acceptable to only have 2 options in a dilemma, either on paper or real life. Life is not always an issue of breaking the rules, more an issue of choosing the best of 2 evils because no other choice is available. Yes of course if you are ordered to do something you have the option of disobeying, but the nature of life is such that some rules are unbreakable, those that may involve the somewhat annoying laws of physics for instance.

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

Tor it is perfectly acceptable to only have 2 options in a dilemma, either on paper or real life. Life is not always an issue of breaking the rules, more an issue of choosing the best of 2 evils because no other choice is available. Yes of course if you are ordered to do something you have the option of disobeying, but the nature of life is such that some rules are unbreakable, those that may involve the somewhat annoying laws of physics for instance.

There are always more than two solutions, the trick is to look for them.

 

[Theoryofrelativity]

There are always more than two solutions, the trick is to look for them.

anyway, all be it that these do not allow for any demonstration of problem soilving value ability they are fun, thus I have started a few of my own.