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Ethical Dilemma Essays

Understanding how to write an ethical dilemma essay.

If you're tasked with writing an ethical dilemma essay, it's essential to start with a clear understanding of the topic. Here are some prompt samples to help you grasp the key aspects:

Prompt 1: Analyze a personal ethical dilemma you have faced and the decision-making process involved.
Prompt 2: Discuss an ethical dilemma in a real-world professional setting and propose a solution.
Prompt 3: Explore the ethical dilemmas surrounding advancements in technology and their impact on society.
Prompt 4: Investigate the moral conflicts arising from environmental conservation efforts and economic development.

Brainstorming and Choosing a Compelling Essay Topic

Now that you have some prompts to work with, it's time to brainstorm and select a captivating essay topic. Consider the following points:

Personal Experience: Reflect on personal ethical dilemmas you've encountered, as they can provide unique insights.
Relevance: Ensure your topic is relevant to the prompt and highlights the complexity of ethical decision-making.
Moral Ambiguity: Choose a topic that involves conflicting values or principles, making the dilemma truly ethical.
Contemporary Issues: Explore current events or situations where ethical choices play a crucial role.

Unique Ethical Dilemma Essay Topics

Here's a list of unique essay topics that go beyond the ordinary:

The Ethical Dilemma of Artificial Intelligence in Autonomous Vehicles
Ethical Decision-Making in Healthcare: The Case of Allocating Limited Resources During a Pandemic
The Moral Implications of Genetic Editing and Designer Babies
Corporate Responsibility: Balancing Profit and Ethical Practices in the Pharmaceutical Industry
Environmental Ethics: The Conflict Between Conservation and Indigenous Rights
The Ethical Challenges of Privacy and Surveillance in the Digital Age
The Use of Torture in Interrogation: An Examination of the Ticking Time Bomb Scenario
Ethical Dilemmas in Journalism: Reporting on Sensitive Subjects and the Public's Right to Know
Animal Testing in Scientific Research: Balancing Scientific Advancement and Animal Welfare
The Ethical Considerations of Assisted Suicide and End-of-Life Care
Police Use of Force: Balancing Public Safety and Individual Rights
Environmental Conservation vs. Economic Development: The Case of Deforestation
AI and Employment: The Ethical Dilemma of Automation and Job Displacement
The Ethics of Human Cloning and Its Potential Consequences
Refugee Crisis: Ethical Obligations and National Sovereignty
Ethical Challenges in Artificial Intelligence Research: Bias and Fairness
Food Industry Ethics: The Dilemma of Factory Farming and Sustainable Alternatives
Medical Trials in Developing Countries: Balancing Scientific Progress and Informed Consent
The Ethical Implications of Space Exploration and Colonization
Ethics of AI-Powered Deepfake Technology: Implications for Privacy and Misinformation

Paragraph and Phrase Inspiration

When crafting your essay, here are some sample paragraphs and phrases that can inspire your writing:

Introduction: "Ethical dilemmas are the moral crossroads where our values and principles clash with real-life decisions."
Main Body: "In the case of AI in autonomous vehicles, the ethical dilemma centers around the choice between prioritizing passenger safety or minimizing harm to pedestrians."
Counterargument: "While some argue that sacrificing individual privacy for national security is justified, it's crucial to consider the potential abuses and erosion of civil liberties."
Conclusion: "In conclusion, ethical dilemmas are not mere theoretical exercises; they shape our society and define our values. By examining these complex issues, we can strive for a more ethical and compassionate world."

Now that you have these tips and unique ideas in mind, go ahead and write an engaging ethical dilemma essay that leaves a lasting impact. Dive deep into the complexities of moral choices and spark thoughtful discussions.

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A Case Study on The Ethical Dilemma Surrounding The Hospital Reimbursement after The Treatment of Illegal Immigrants

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An ethical dilemma refers to a situation or scenario in which an individual or group is faced with a complex decision that involves conflicting moral principles or values. It is a challenging predicament where there is no clear-cut right or wrong choice, and the decision-maker must carefully navigate the moral and ethical implications of their actions.

Personal Ethical Dilemmas: These arise when an individual faces conflicting moral values or principles in their personal life. For example, choosing between honesty and protecting a loved one's reputation. Professional Ethical Dilemmas: These occur in the workplace and involve conflicts between ethical responsibilities and professional obligations. For instance, deciding whether to blow the whistle on unethical practices that may harm others but jeopardize one's career. Societal Ethical Dilemmas: These pertain to broader societal issues and involve conflicting values or interests. Examples include debates on topics like euthanasia, abortion, or genetic engineering, where different ethical perspectives clash. Organizational Ethical Dilemmas: These dilemmas arise within organizations when employees face conflicting values or ethical standards. For instance, deciding between loyalty to the company and reporting unethical behavior by a colleague. Technological Ethical Dilemmas: With advancements in technology, ethical dilemmas have emerged, such as privacy concerns, AI ethics, or the impact of automation on employment.

Conflict of Values: Ethical dilemmas arise when individuals encounter conflicting values or principles, where there is no clear right or wrong answer. These conflicting values create a sense of moral uncertainty. Difficult Decision-Making: Ethical dilemmas require individuals to make difficult choices between competing options, each with their own ethical implications. The decision-making process involves weighing the potential consequences and considering the moral implications of each choice. No Perfect Solution: Ethical dilemmas often lack a perfect or ideal solution that satisfies all ethical considerations. Regardless of the decision made, there may be negative consequences or ethical trade-offs involved. Personal and Moral Significance: Ethical dilemmas are deeply personal and have significant moral implications for the individuals involved. They often challenge personal integrity and moral values, making the decision emotionally and morally burdensome. Ethical Reasoning: Resolving ethical dilemmas requires careful ethical reasoning, analysis, and consideration of different ethical theories or frameworks. It involves examining the principles, values, and potential consequences involved in order to make an informed and morally justifiable decision. Contextual Nature: Ethical dilemmas are influenced by the specific context in which they occur. Factors such as cultural norms, social expectations, legal considerations, and professional codes of conduct can further complicate the decision-making process.

Utilitarianism: Utilitarianism asserts that the ethical choice is the one that maximizes overall happiness or utility for the greatest number of people. When faced with an ethical dilemma, individuals utilizing this theory would weigh the potential consequences of each option and choose the one that leads to the greatest net benefit. Deontological Ethics: Deontological ethics focuses on adhering to moral duties and principles regardless of the outcomes. This approach emphasizes the inherent rightness or wrongness of actions rather than the consequences. Individuals using deontological reasoning would consider universal moral principles, such as honesty or respect for autonomy, when making ethical decisions. Virtue Ethics: Virtue ethics centers on the development of moral character and emphasizes the importance of virtuous traits and intentions in ethical decision-making. When faced with an ethical dilemma, individuals using this theory would consider which action aligns with virtuous qualities, such as honesty, compassion, or justice.

Film: In the movie "12 Angry Men," a jury must decide the fate of a young man accused of murder. Jurors face an ethical dilemma as they confront their biases, prejudices, and the weight of the evidence, ultimately questioning their responsibility to deliver a just verdict. Literature: In the novel "To Kill a Mockingbird" by Harper Lee, the character Atticus Finch faces an ethical dilemma when defending an innocent black man accused of rape in a racially divided society. He confronts the moral choice between upholding justice and challenging deeply ingrained prejudices. Television: The series "The Good Place" revolves around ethical dilemmas and moral philosophy. Characters navigate complex ethical situations as they question the nature of good and bad, exploring themes such as utilitarianism, deontology, and moral relativism.

The topic of ethical dilemmas is crucial to explore and discuss in essays due to its profound impact on individuals, societies, and decision-making processes. Ethical dilemmas present complex situations where individuals face conflicting moral choices, and examining them allows for a deeper understanding of ethical principles, values, and the complexities of human behavior. Writing an essay on ethical dilemmas offers several benefits. Firstly, it encourages critical thinking and ethical reasoning by presenting real or hypothetical scenarios that challenge one's moral compass. It prompts individuals to analyze different perspectives, weigh the consequences of actions, and navigate moral gray areas. Secondly, exploring ethical dilemmas fosters ethical awareness and character development. By examining these dilemmas, individuals gain insights into their own values, biases, and decision-making processes. It promotes self-reflection and the cultivation of moral virtues such as empathy, integrity, and responsibility. Lastly, the topic of ethical dilemmas is relevant to various fields, including medicine, business, law, and technology. Essays on this subject provide an opportunity to explore how ethical frameworks and principles can guide professionals in making ethically sound decisions within their respective domains.

1. Beauchamp, T. L., & Bowie, N. E. (2020). Ethical theory and business (10th ed.). Pearson. 2. Bredeson, D. (2017). Ethical dilemmas and decisions in criminal justice (10th ed.). Cengage Learning. 3. Davis, M. (2016). Ethics and the university. Routledge. 4. Kidder, R. M. (2005). How good people make tough choices: Resolving the dilemmas of ethical living. Harper Perennial. 5. Lo, B., & Field, M. J. (Eds.). (2009). Conflict of interest in medical research, education, and practice. National Academies Press. 6. May, L., & Vandekerckhove, W. (Eds.). (2019). Routledge handbook of whistleblowing studies. Routledge. 7. Resnik, D. B. (2015). Playing politics with science: Balancing scientific independence and government oversight. Oxford University Press. 8. Singer, P. (2015). Ethics in the real world: 82 brief essays on things that matter. Princeton University Press. 9. Treviño, L. K., & Nelson, K. A. (2020). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right (8th ed.). John Wiley & Sons. 10. Velasquez, M. (2018). Business ethics: Concepts and cases. Pearson.

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12 Interesting Ethical Topics for Essay Papers

Writing Essays
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M.Ed., Education Administration, University of Georgia
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Writing a persuasive essay requires identifying interesting ethical topics, and these options might inspire you to create a powerful and engaging essay, position paper , or speech for your next assignment.

Should Teens Have Plastic Surgery?

Good looks are highly prized in society. You can see advertisements everywhere urging you to buy products that will supposedly enhance your appearance. While many products are topical, plastic surgery is probably the ultimate game-changer. Going under the knife to enhance your looks can be a quick fix and help you achieve the look you desire. It also carries risks and can have lifelong consequences. Consider whether you think teens—who are still developing into mature individuals—should have the right to make such a big decision at such a young age, or if their parents should be able to decide for them.

Would You Tell If You Saw a Popular Kid Bullying?

Bullying is a big problem in schools and even in society in general. But it can be difficult to show courage, step up—and step in—if you see a popular kid bullying someone at school. Would you report it if you saw this happening? Why or why not?

Would You Speak Up If Your Friend Abused an Animal?

Animal abuse by youngsters can foreshadow more violent acts as these individuals grow up. Speaking up might save the animal pain and suffering today, and it might steer that person away from more violent acts in the future. But would you have the courage to do so? Why or why not?

Would You Tell If You Saw a Friend Cheating on a Test?

Courage can come in subtle forms, and that can include reporting seeing someone cheat on a test. Cheating on a test might not seem like such a big deal; perhaps you've cheated on a test yourself. But it is against the policies of schools and universities worldwide. If you saw someone cheating, would you speak up and tell the teacher? What if it were your buddy cheating and telling might cost you a friendship? Explain your stance.

Should News Stories Slant Toward What People Want to Hear?

There is much debate over whether the news should be unbiased or allow commentary. Newspapers, radios, and news television stations are businesses, just as much as a grocery store or online retailers. They need customers to survive, and that means appealing to what their customers want to hear or see. Slanting reports toward popular opinions could increase ratings and readership, in turn saving newspapers and news shows, as well as jobs. But is this practice ethical? What do you think?

Would You Tell If Your Best Friend Had a Drink at the Prom?

Most schools have strict rules about drinking at the prom, but many students still engage in the practice. After all, they'll be graduating soon. If you saw a friend imbibing, would you tell or look the other way? Why?

Should Football Coaches Be Paid More Than Professors?

Football often brings in more money than any other single activity or program a school offers, including academic classes. In the corporate world, if a business is profitable, the CEO and those who contributed to the success are often rewarded handsomely. With that in mind, shouldn't it be the same in academia? Should top football coaches get paid more than top professors? Why or why not?

Should Politics and Church Be Separate?

Candidates often invoke religion when they're campaigning. It's generally a good way to attract votes. But should the practice be discouraged? The U.S. Constitution, after all, dictates that there should be a separation of church and state in this country. What do you think and why?

Would You Speak Up If You Heard an Ugly Ethnic Statement at a Party Filled With Popular Kids?

As in the previous examples, it can be hard to speak up, especially when an incident involves popular kids. Would you have the courage to say something and risk the ire of the "in" crowd? Who would you tell?

Should Assisted Suicides Be Allowed for Terminally Ill Patients?

Some countries, like the Netherlands, allow assisted suicides , as do some U.S. states. Should "mercy killing" be legal for terminally ill patients who are suffering from great physical pain? What about patients whose diseases will negatively impact their families? Why or why not?

Should a Student's Ethnicity Be a Consideration for College Acceptance?

There has been a long-standing debate about the role ethnicity should play in college acceptance. Proponents of affirmative action argue that underrepresented groups should be given a leg up. Opponents say that all college candidates should be judged on their merits alone. What do you think and why?

Should Companies Gather Information About Their Customers?

Information privacy is a big and growing issue. Every time you log onto the internet and visit an online retailer, news company, or social media site, companies gather information about you. Should they have the right to do so, or should the practice be banned? Why do you think so? Explain your answer.

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Ethical Dilemma Essay

TOOLS FOR WRITING – THE ETHICAL DILEMMA ESSAY

Table of contents, defining an ethical dilemma, ethical dilemma essay topics, how to write an ethical dilemma essay, ethical dilemma essay examples.

We all have a sense of ethics – moral principles that are a part of who we are . Some people are fully opposed to the death penalty; others are opposed to abortion; some support mercy killing, or the “right to die.” But what happens when our moral principles are put to the test through an ethical dilemma?

Basically, an ethical dilemma is facing a decision that, in making that decision, violates a moral principle in order to follow another one . Either decision will mean violating one of your moral principles.

An ethical dilemma is facing a decision that, in making that decision, violates a moral principle in order to follow another one

A simple and often used example of a moral dilemma is this: You are on a ship that is sinking, and you must get into a lifeboat. That lifeboat can only hold 10 people without sinking, and there are 11 of you that need to get into it. Your moral principle is the preservation of life at all costs. How do you determine who does not get into that lifeboat? Or do you put all 11 in the lifeboat which will kill all of you? Any decision you make will compromise your principle of preserving life at all costs.

If you are assigned an ethical dilemma essay, chances are you are given a question or a prompt for that essay, but if not you can always search for a write my paper help on our web-site

Sample Ethical Dilemma Essay

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Have you ever faced an ethical dilemma? Write a personal ethical dilemma essay about one such dilemma and how you handled it. It will be in the first person and will not have to follow the formal writing rules of academic writing .

Here are several potential topics of an ethical dilemma essay. You will note that most provide scenarios in which a person will have to make a decision.

Best ethical dilemma essay topics:

You are a nurse who is committed to providing the best possible care according to the protocols that have been established. You have a patient who is dying. He is in extreme pain. You are charged with administering pain medication on a set schedule, but the patient remains in extreme pain and is asking for more pain medication on a shorter schedule. Do you follow your moral principle of relieving pain or the protocols that have been established?
You are the spouse of a woman who has gone into labor. There are complications. The doctor has informed you that you must make a decision to save the life or your wife or your as yet unborn child. What is your decision-making process, and how does either decision compromise your moral principles of the sanctity of life? Do you abort the child and condemn it to death or do you preserve the life of your wife?
You have witnessed your best friend cheating on an exam. Do you let loyalty to your friend prevail and not report this, or do you abide by your sense of what is right and report the incident to your instructor?
You are an animal rights advocate, believing that all life is sacred. A biological research company is conducting research using animals as subjects. The goal of this research is to eliminate a horrible disease that is afflicting many people all over the world., but animals will suffer even die, in the process. Can you reconcile your advocacy of animal rights with the greater good of saving human lives?

While your essay will follow the standard format – introduction, body, and conclusion – it may be of different types. You may be writing a narrative of personal experience; you may be writing a more academic piece on an ethical dilemma in a conceptual way; you may be writing an argumentative piece on a specific ethical dilemma. And some of these types of essays may require some research.

Once you have completed your mind map, and consolidated the items into specific points that you want to make, you are ready to craft at least a rough outline of the body paragraphs you will compose.

Develop your thesis statement based upon your points. What is it that you are trying to “prove” to your audience? What do you want your reader to take away from this essay? Your answer to these questions will help you to form your thesis statement.

Write your body paragraphs first. These must be well-formed, with topic sentences and lots of detail to support them.

One the body paragraphs are constructed, you are ready to craft your introduction – a part of your essay that will introduce the topic and provide your thesis for the essay. Work to create a “hook” for your reader – something that will pique their interest and motivate them to read on. This might be a startling statistic, a quote from a famous person, or a short anecdote to which they can relate.

Carefully think about your conclusion. You will want to re-state your thesis , of course, but you also may need to encourage those who are dealing with moral dilemmas , as they struggle with their own.

There are plenty of ethical dilemma essay examples out there on the web. And they will give you great ideas about structure and format. But understand this: your essay must be uniquely yours. You must insert your own style, your own ideas, your own style into your essay, or it won’t be compelling or engaging to your reader. Take the ideas; take the points. But make the essay yours alone.

External links

How to Mind Map with Tony Buzan. (2015). [YouTube Video]. In YouTube . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u5Y4pIsXTV0

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A business journal from the Wharton School of the University of Pennsylvania

Confronting Ethical and Moral Dilemmas: Don’t Go It Alone

September 13, 2021 • 8 min read.

In this Nano Tool for Leaders, Wharton’s G. Richard Shell explains how “the power of two” can help when you are faced with a moral or ethical dilemma at work.

Nano Tools for Leaders® — a collaboration between Wharton Executive Education and Wharton’s Center for Leadership and Change Management — are fast, effective leadership tools that you can learn and start using in less than 15 minutes, with the potential to significantly impact your success as a leader and the engagement and productivity of the people you lead.

Contributor: G. Richard Shell, Wharton professor of legal studies and business ethics and author of The Conscience Code: Lead with Your Values. Advance Your Career .

Strengthen your ability to confront ethically questionable acts or wrongdoings by bringing in allies.

According to a 2021 report from the Ethics and Compliance Initiative, 63% of middle managers were pressured by bosses to violate their firm’s ethical code of conduct in 2020. Over half of middle and upper managers observed ethical misconduct, while 79% of employees experienced retaliation for reporting it. Well-run corporate compliance programs and healthy corporate cultures can reduce this problem significantly, but these are hard to sustain across large enterprises over long periods of time. And too many companies give only lip service to both.

When you are faced with a moral or ethical dilemma at work, it’s common to believe that your choices are limited to three less-than-optimal options: remain silent, single-handedly confront the perpetrator(s), or report him or her (and perhaps the whole team) to a higher authority. For those who are conflict averse — and those who don’t feel options two and three are viable for other reasons — the first option is the most appealing. But there is another way.

In fact, believing you have to handle this situation alone, no matter which option you choose, violates the Conscience Code — a set of 10 rules developed to help you lead with your values while advancing your career. Specifically, Rule #6 explains the importance of leveraging the Power of Two: an ally can bolster your confidence, help you think more clearly about next steps, and keep you grounded when people try to make it look as if you are the problem. In fact, when it comes to resisting pressure from peers and authority to “just go along with it” or “look the other way,” 1 + 1 equals much more than 2. Psychologists report that the best workplace allies are those who help you better understand the situation you are in and then provide the confidence boost you need to manage it. For ideas about when and how to leverage alliances, see the Action Steps below.

Action Steps

When you face wrongdoing at work, instead of choosing one of the less-than-optimal options described above, consider testing out your viewpoint in private with one other person, perhaps a quieter one who might be open to hearing your perspective and creating an alliance. If that is too risky, consider reaching out to the person who recruited you, a mentor, or a colleague who had been at the firm longer than you. If you are a woman or minority, research shows that you may find strength by conferring with one another in the face of situations involving sexism or racism.

Here are three ideas for leveraging the Power of Two:

Deal with peer pressure. Another voice speaking truth will help you feel less isolated in your position and more confident in asserting your point of view. Professor Solomon Asch’s work on peer pressure showed that when everyone in a group says that “X is true,” the final holdout will go along with them more often than you might expect — even when they know that X is not true. This finding highlights the power of social contagion: A strong group can make dissenters too embarrassed to go against the crowd, or even make them actually believe something they knew previously to be false. In a follow-up experiment, Asch gave his subjects an ally or “true partner” — one voice in the room that spoke the correct rather than the incorrect answer. This caused subjects’ willingness to tell the truth to jump from 65% to 95%.
Stand up to authority. Stanley Milgram’s infamous power-of-authority studies investigated why ordinary German people had gone along with the Holocaust in World War II. His experiments demonstrated that ordinary citizens could be pressured into delivering what appeared to be lethal levels of electric shocks to human “victims.” In one version of the experiment, Milgram created teams of three to deliver the shocks, with each team including two “dissenters” who were instructed to quit after a specified number of low-level shocks were “delivered.” With the two dissenters breaking off during the process, 90% terminated the experiment prior to the lethal shock level — with 25 of them quitting at a level less than half that. The takeaway? Having allies at your side can empower you to act on your values more quickly and decisively than relying on your inner resources alone. And having supportive peers may be especially important for those with more accommodating and conflict-averse personalities.
Gain a fresh perspective. Professor Philip Zimbardo’s troubled Stanford Prison Experiment, in which he placed randomly selected undergraduate students in roles of “guards” and “prisoners,” attempted to prove that social roles and systemic pressures can distort the behavior of otherwise normal people. Although the guards’ behavior became troubling very quickly, it took an outsider to bring an end to the out-of-control proceedings. PhD student Christina Maslach was so disturbed by what she saw that she persuaded Zimbardo to end his experiment immediately on ethical grounds, applying both common-sense morality and the norms of social science. Research on ethical conflicts revealed numerous instances of ordinary people swept up in wrongdoing by peers and bosses — but who were saved by a perceptive spouse or friend who could see more clearly than they what was happening. The Power of Two thus extends to people completely outside your workplace “bubble” — people who can point out how far you have strayed from your ethical commitments and bring you back to your senses before it is too late.

How Leaders Use It

By now, the story of charismatic 19-year-old Stanford undergraduate Elizabeth Holmes and her idea for a new approach to blood testing is well known. What’s often missing from tales of the Theranos scandal are Tyler Shultz and Erika Cheung, two twentysomething employees who were faced with immense pressure from their superiors and peers to go along with what was clearly a massive fraud. Their story demonstrates the power of an ally when you encounter real-world conflicts.

New hires Shultz and Cheung worked together on a team that was testing the accuracy of the Edison — Holmes’s blood testing machine. When they noticed that data showing results that deviated too far from expected performance never made it into reports, they were told that it was standard practice to ignore these “outliers.” They also became concerned that the firm was misreporting a variety of metrics on the Edison’s accuracy for different types of blood tests, and that, compared with accurate results from traditional machines, the Edison failed. When Shultz and Cheung pushed back, they were admonished for not being “team players.” Finally, after their superiors knowingly submitted false data to regulators, Shultz turned in an anonymous complaint to investigators and sent an email to Holmes with details of his concerns (many of which came from Cheung). Berated once again, the two decided to quit. Cheung filed a formal complaint with the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services about the misconduct she had observed. The complaint triggered a formal investigation, which, in combination with a series of front-page investigative stories in the Wall Street Journal (sourced in part by Shultz and Cheung) and Shultz’s anonymous filing with regulators, brought an end to Theranos. Shultz and Cheung leveraged the Power of Two, feeding off each other’s energies; advancing each other’s strategic thinking; and providing independent, credible information from the inner workings of a corrupt organization that could be used as evidence by the legal system.

Knowledge in Action: Related Executive Education Programs

Richard Shell teaches in Negotiation and Influence: Making Deals and Strategy Work , Advanced Management Program , and Executive Development Program .

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Ethical Dilemma

I. definition and key ideas.

Ethical or moral dilemmas are situations real or imagined where a person must choose between courses of action, all of which are morally unacceptable.

A person must choose one of two innocents to be killed, or both will be; this one is known as Sophie’s Choice, after the William Styron novel in which it appears. Easier dilemmas may present conflicts between two different ethical principles, such as in the question of whether it is right to steal food in order to feed one’s starving family.

Moral dilemmas are thought-experiments, imaginative scenarios used to argue philosophical points. They are often presented in order to refute one or another system of ethics; one may argue that if the dilemma is unreasonable, the ethical system is incomplete.

However, the status of moral dilemmas has become a major philosophical issue in its own right. Some philosophers argue that there are no true moral dilemmas, others that they are unavoidable and do not necessarily indicate a flawed system of ethics. Thus, moral dilemmas are a way to explore the question of what an ethical system must or must not be expected to accomplish.

For those who are not professional philosophers, ethical dilemmas serve mainly as a tool for exploring one’s own and others’ ethical values. The question, “what would YOU do?” in regards to a moral dilemma must, in most cases, reveal one’s priorities – or provoke one to determine those priorities.

A lot of moral dilemmas revolve around conflicts between teleological, or result-oriented, ethics and deontological, or precept-oriented, ethics. This has also been characterized as the conflict between what is “right” (deontological) and what results in “good” (teleological). However, some of the most difficult moral dilemmas do not revolve around this conflict; moral dilemmas are more difficult if symmetrical – if they require choosing between two morally identical options, such as in the choice to save only one of two innocent lives.

II. Where Does It Come From?

The first moral dilemmas written down appear in the Bible. For example, the Hebrew patriarch Abraham faced a classic moral dilemma when he was commanded by God to sacrifice his son Isaac—murder his son or disobey God; although this story is supposed to have happened before Moses received the ten commandments, it’s fair to assume that people of his time would have considered both obeying God and not murdering one’s own child to be moral imperatives. The story seems intended to establish that obedience takes priority, and will be rewarded with mercy. It demonstrates a deontological ethics—one based on a general rule, not results.

However, the first moral dilemma usually cited in western philosophy comes (unsurprisingly) from the ancient Greeks. It was an argument Socrates made against a claim in Plato ’s Republic that justice equals speaking the truth and paying one’s debts. Socrates created a moral dilemma to demonstrate the unreliability of this proposed ethical principle; he pointed out that it could be wrong to re-pay certain debts, such as if you had borrowed a weapon from a friend who was not in his right mind and might be prone to violence. You might think Socrates was just being needlessly difficult here, but as usual, he was just using the dilemma to make a point—that ethical rules have relative priorities; in this case, the precept that one must do one’s best to prevent harm to people takes priority over the precept that one must re-pay one’s debts. This illustrates one of the most popular solutions to ethical dilemmas—that a system of ethics should prioritize its rules. However, it is unfortunately easy to show that there can be no consistent and complete prioritization of ethics; priorities sometimes depend on circumstances.

The next most often cited dilemma comes from Jean-Paul Sartre in the mid-twentieth-century existentialist philosopher. Sartre asks us to imagine a young man whose brother has just been killed while defending his country in a war where the enemy is poised to invade his homeland. At the same time, the young man’s mother lives with him and depends on him, having nobody else. The dilemma is, should the man go to war to defend his nation and avenge his brother’s murder or stay home to care for his mother? There is no agreed upon solution to this one; it depends on one’s values!

The years since WWII have seen many real ethical dilemmas become constant social or political issues. Depending on one’s beliefs and values, abortion and the death penalty could both be regarded as ethical dilemmas—conflicts between protecting lives and taking lives. Philosophically, euthanasia seems like a more difficult dilemma because it could be seen either as required by or forbidden by a doctor’s Hippocratic oath, depending on how you look at it.

In the future, we will have new ethical dilemmas related to advancements in science and medicine. The debates mentioned in the previous paragraph will take on new urgency in a world where people can live for centuries. And artificial intelligence will eventually raise dilemmas connected with the rights and responsibilities of artificial beings.

III. Controversies

Every ethical dilemma is a controversy! But here, we will address a more general controversy—the question of whether it is possible or desirable to have an ethical system without irresolvable dilemmas.

Arguments that a good ethical system should be dilemma-free:

Consistency: an ethical dilemma implies a conflict between two rules, both of which should, normally, be obeyed. That means that in the face of a dilemma, some action that would normally be mandatory becomes forbidden. This is like saying “A equals not-A,” which really bother some philosophers, although it’s often true.
Providing singular guidance: Many people believe that an ethical system should provide one answer to the question, “what should I do?” in any situation. If not, doesn’t it fail as an ethical system?

Arguments that ethical dilemmas are unavoidable or desirable:

The solution of prioritizing ethical rules, so that one can always choose the higher priority, won’t always work. For example, most people would agree, with Socrates in his argument with Plato, that preventing harm is higher priority than re-paying debts. But, it would be easy to imagine a case where keeping a promise was more important than preventing some small degree of harm. And most ethical rules are like this; they have different priorities in different situations
Symmetrical dilemmas : It is easy to come up with dilemmas that cannot be resolved by choosing between two moral rules, because both choices are governed by the same precept, such as in Sophie’s Choice.
Moral Residue: in many, if not most ethical dilemmas, a person is going to feel remorse no matter which choice they make—for example, such as in Sartre’s war dilemma, or Sophie’s choice. This means that a person is going to feel they have done something morally wrong no matter what they choose; this seems enough, perhaps, to prove that they are facing a real moral dilemma.

Some of these points, especially “moral residue” continue to be heavily debated in philosophy, but since nobody has yet demonstrated a dilemma free ethical system, perhaps the dilemmas are winning!

IV. Famous Quotes

Quotation #1:

“The moral dilemma is to make peace with the unacceptable.” – Mary Sarton

Sarton suggests that the true dilemma in all moral dilemmas lies in accepting the unacceptable. Sarton would probably say, for example, that in Sophie’s Choice, the dilemma is not which innocent to kill, but the need to psychologically accept making such a choice. In other words, making peace with such choices and not making peace with them are equally immoral, and that’s the dilemma within all moral dilemmas.

Quotation #2:

“There is the devastatingly simple, yet profound, moral dilemma, which underlies the book: is it better for a man to choose to be bad than to be conditioned to be good?” — Anthony Burgess ( A Clockwork Orange )

This unusual moral dilemma echoes many novels about the inherent conflict between freedom and morality. In Burgess’ novel, a dangerously violent young criminal lives in a fictional future England where he has been arrested for murder and is offered a chance to be “rehabilitated” through conditioning that using drugs that make him physically ill at even the thought of violence. After conditioning he can’t hurt people, and he also can’t really choose. Which is right, to allow a person to be bad but with a free mind or good by taking away their free will ? Other famous stories that address the conflict between morality and freedom include Aldous Huxley’s Brave New World and all of Fyodor Dostoyevsky’s novels.

Epistemic versus Ontological dilemmas : A dilemma is epistemic if the problem is that one does not know which choice will result in the greatest good (or least evil). A dilemma is ontological if knowledge is not an issue; one simply has a choice.

Obligation versus Prohibition dilemmas : Sartre’s story about the young man going to war is an obligation dilemma; the man is obligated to do two incompatible things. Sophie’s Choice is a prohibition dilemma; she must choose between two morally prohibited actions—choosing one person to be killed or another. Prohibition choices seem more problematic in general, since they require one to directly violate morals, whereas obligation dilemmas merely require one to neglect a moral obligation.

VI. Moral versus Ethical dilemmas and “the right” versus “the good”

What is “right” is defined by ethical principles, such as “thou shalt not kill.” “The good” refers to the results of actions and events, such as people not coming to harm, so it’s a moral issue. Most dilemmas are both moral and ethical because ethics normally tell us what is moral and immoral. Some dilemmas might technically be only one or the other. For example, Sophie’s Choice seems like a purely moral dilemma, because Sophie is not being forced to choose between ethical principles. Abortion seems more of an ethical issue because one must choose between two ethical principles, one protecting the fetus, and one the mother. However, abortion can also be seen as a moral issue—to choose the policy which is most moral.

VII. Moral dilemmas in Pop Culture

Example #1 : blade runner.

Almost every story about future conscious machines revolves around ethical dilemmas. Harrison Ford plays a retired “blade runner”—a cop who hunts down and kills escaped androids–living conscious robots who can be more intelligent and stronger than humans, and who have no empathy. Ford’s character is forced to continue working after he tries to quit and he finds himself obligated to kill androids who want only freedom, including an entirely innocent one. Much of the film is about him trying to escape or cope with this moral dilemma.

Example #2 : The Dark Knight

It would be impossible to mention ethical dilemmas without referring to the version of the “Prisoner’s Dilemma” in The Dark Knight (Batman) film. In the film’s simplified version of this classic dilemma, the Joker takes control of two ferries crossing Gotham harbor, each packed with people and explosives wired to blow, and each group is given the trigger for the other boat’s explosives. The Joker tells them that if one boat blows up the other within a time-limit he will spare their lives, and otherwise, he will blow up both boats. I won’t tell you the spoiler!

This and other Batman films feature many ethical dilemmas; it could be said that Batman is an ethical dilemma, a man who takes justice, and lives into his own hands, illegally, but in order to protect innocent people from criminals.

a. To kill or not to kill

b. To harm someone in self-defense, or be harmed

c. To steal in order not to starve

d. To break a promise in order not to hurt someone

a. Sophie’s Choice

b. Defending one’s homeland with weapons that may kill civilians

c. Euthanasia

d. Killing someone in self-defense

a. Ethical systems should tell you the right thing to do in all cases

b. Even if you make the best choice, acting immorally will still cause remorse

c. In some dilemmas, both choices are wrong by the same principle

d. There is no way to prioritize ethical principles that will apply to all situations

a. Euthanasia

b. Killing in self-defense

c. Voting for president

d. Sartre’s dilemma

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Interview questions answered: Describe a time when you faced an ethical dilemma

Life is not easy, or fair. Employees are not always loyal, and won’t do the best thing for the company at all occasions. Actually we face temptation at work every day. A chance to date an attractive colleague , for example, though it may be only an unrealistic dream, especially when they are married. Or an opportunity to approve this or that contract, or choose a specific supplier , because it will pocket us a few extra thousands dollars.

There are many other dilemmas we can face. Should you opt for the less expensive way of doing something, though it is not environmentally friendly ? Should you sell your client a certain product, which is good enough for them, though you know you could sell them a more expensive alternative , and make more money along the way, for both you and your employer?

Facing an ethical dilemma is something normal, something you cannot entirely avoid , unless you work as a lighthouse keeper. What matters to the interviewers is your attitude. How did you eventually decide? Did you do the right thing for you, for the company, for the environment ? And what factors did you consider before making your decision? That’s why they ask you to provide an example when your ethics were tested.

Let’s have a look at 7 sample answers to this interesting interview question. I hope you will find at least one answer that resonates with your personality and experiences in my selection, one you can use in your interview. Enjoy!

7 sample answers to “Describe a time when you faced an ethical dilemma” interview question

I faced a big one in my last job of a production manager. We were negotiating with several suppliers of clothes. One factory from Bangladesh gave us by far the best offer, and on paper they passed all environmental checks . But when our guys traveled there to inspect the production site, they found out that the company actually faked a lot of things, and polluted local rivers while producing clothing . Now, I could have said it didn’t matter. It was thousands of miles away after all, and they gave us the best offer, and they had the papers and certificates and everything. So it definitely was an ethical dilemma . But I eventually decided to reject them. What’s more, I reported them to local authorities. We chose another supplier. We paid more, our profit margin was tighter but we did not lie to our customers and did not participate on polluting the nature. I believe I made the right decision, though not everyone in the company would agree with that.
Speaking honestly, my ethics were tested a lot in my last job . I knew that my manager was interested in me. They could get me a much better position in the company, or authorize a big raise. Just I had to go with them for a drink a few times. It was obvious and they made the offer several times. However, first and foremost, I knew it was not the right way up the career ladder , not the right thing to do. What’s more, they were married, so even from an ethical standpoint it was not correct to go with them… Hence I refused their offer repeatedly. Instead of promoting me, they decided to make it really difficult for me in work . Apparently they didn’t like losing, or maybe they weren’t used to getting refused. At the end of the day, I had to leave the company, and that’s why I am here today. But I would do the same thing again, because money is not the most important thing for me, and it never has been.

* Do not forget to check also : Full list of most common behavioral (describe a time when…) interview questions .

This is my first job application , so I haven’t faced any ethical dilemmas at work yet. But I’ve faced them regularly during my studies… You know how it works with the exams. Someone knows the questions beforehand, and sometimes it is easy to cheat , because the professor doesn’t pay attention. I would lie to you if I said that I never cheated. But I eventually realized that it wasn’t ethically correct , and more importantly, that first and foremost I was cheating myself . I went to college to learn something. Getting the diploma was the goal, but the knowledge mattered for me more , and the connections with the community of students and teachers. Hence I decided to quit cheating, during my second year at the college. I managed to stick to my promise till the end of my studies.
In my opinion, we face such dilemmas every day . And if we are responsible, and think about future generations as well, we should think about our daily decision. Take a typical shopping in a supermarket as an example. Will I drive there, or walk? Will I prefer local and environmentally friendly food , or will I opt for imported alternative, just because it costs less money? And how much will I buy? A lot, so we have a great selection back home, but eventually throw half of the food to rubbish , just like most US households? Or just enough, so maybe we can’t satisfy each carving of the stomach, but will end up eating and processing everything we bought? I try to think about these things, because I realize that each decision I make has an impact on the planet , and especially on the future generations. We shouldn’t be so selfish…
Working as a purchasing agent , I faced many ethical dilemmas in my last job. You know how it works in this business, don’t you? A manager from one of the suppliers calls you and invites you for a private meeting. There’s an envelope on the table , or they make you a direct offer–you can get this and this if we win this competition. They do not always have to offer you money, but they will offer something. This is how it works, sad but true. But I never accepted such an offer, I kept my integrity . Maybe I was stupid, hard to say. Because if I accepted few of these offers I might have enough money today to not apply for jobs for the next ten years. But you cannot be someone you aren’t . I enjoy working, and I am not the kind of guy who would enjoy drinking champagne in a tropical resort for months on end… So I quit my job, and here I am, trying to start a new career with you.
Actually I am here because of the last dilemma I faced –whether or not to stay with my present employer. When I graduated from pharmacy I was naive . I really thought that drugs help people, that pharmaceutical companies exist to help cure diseases and make the population healthier. I couldn’t be more wrong . They exist only to generate profit, lot of it. And to actually make the population sicker, or addicted to the drugs they produce, so they can make even more money each year. It is a vicious cycle, but I decided to quit the ride . Surely, they paid me well , and I have to start from scratch in a new field now. But money isn’t everything, and I could not live with myself if I stayed in the pharma business any longer.
I faced such dilemmas each day with my last employer, and that’s exactly why I left them–because I was too weak, and I often fell for the temptation . And then I felt terrible. Let me explain it in more detail. I was selling insurance and retirement plans to clients. But we did not get the same commission from each provider. Actually one provider paid 50% more to the agents, and their product looked great on the paper. In reality, however, the clients paid a lot on hidden fees each year , and they eventually saved less money in a long run. But I still sold this plan to some clients, and I felt terrible afterwards… Here I am, honest and smarter than before, applying for a job with your company. I know that your agents get the same commission for each deal they close. I really like this payment model, because it motivates us to look for the best solution for the client, and not the one which is best for our pocket…

Ethical dilemma examples for students

If you face this question in a school admission interview , or should write as essay on the topic , as a part of an admission process, the pivotal thing remains the same: to show the right attitude, to explain your reasoning . You were tempted, no doubt, but you eventually did the right thing, or at least one you considered right . Or at least that’s what you should write or say :). To some good examples of ethical dilemmas for students belong:

Do I pick the major I love, or do I decide according to the eventual salary and career opportunities?
Will I help my classmate during an important exam, since I know how much it matters for them to pass, even if it entails cheating? Or will I, on the contrary, ignore them or even notify the teacher?
Do I try to stand out in a classroom, always having the best answer ready, or do I rather back up, giving some of other schoolmates the opportunity to stand out and shine?
Will I go to the party, to strengthen the camaraderie with my schoolmates, or will I rather skip it since it will impact my studies?

None of these situations is easy, but as long as you explain your reasoning on your essay (or in the interviews), the admission committee should be happy with your answer. Show them that you are a mature individual who sees pros and cons of their actions. You always try to do the right thing, though you may something do the wrong one–you’re still just a student at the end, trying to find your way in life…

Ready to answer this one? I hope so! Do not forget to check also the following posts, to make sure you get ready for your interview:

Tell us about a time when you had to comply with a policy you didn’t agree with.
What is the most important thing you learned at school?
What makes you unique?
Recent Posts

28 Ethical Dilemma Examples

ethical dilemma examples and definition, defined below

An ethical dilemma is a situation where two or more moral principles conflict, forcing the individual to choose between them.

The conflict between these principles often makes people struggle with deciding which one to follow and which one to compromise.

A common social dilemma example is when a physician has to choose between breaking a patient’s confidentiality or preventing harm to another person.

Ethical dilemmas go beyond being just ideas on paper (Barrett, 2018). They have a direct impact on the decisions people make in the real world.

Think about how business leaders have to balance making money and being responsible to society (Reynolds, 2014). Also, consider how journalists have to balance giving the public information and respecting people’s privacy (Plaisance, 2017).

Types of Ethical Dilemmas

Rushworth Kidder, an author and ethicist, introduced a framework outlining four types of ethical dilemmas—truth vs. loyalty, individual vs. community, short-term vs. long-term, and justice vs. mercy (Kidder, 2010).

Understanding these classifications aids in dissecting complex moral quandaries and enables effective decision-making .

Below is each type:

Truth vs Loyalty: This type of ethical dilemma arises when one is caught between absolute honesty and allegiance to individuals or groups (Kidder, 2015). For instance, consider an employee who discovers fraudulent activities in their company. If they disclose this information, they remain truthful but might violate their loyalty to the company and colleagues (real-world example of whistleblowing).
Individual vs. Community: Individual vs. community dilemmas involve discrepancies between personal interests and collective benefits (Kidder, 2010). A pandemic situation offers an apt example—individuals might resist wearing masks for personal comfort, but this stands contrary to the community’s need for public safety (this is a contemporary real-world example).
Short-term vs. Long-term: This type of ethical dilemma compels one to choose between immediate benefits or long-term consequences (Kidder, 2015). For instance, a business might opt to cut corners and make profits now, despite the potential long-term detriment to its reputation and customer trust (real-world example of businesses taking shortcuts).
Justice vs Mercy: Lastly, justice vs. mercy dilemmas highlight the tension between fair consequences and compassion (Kidder, 2010). In the courtroom, for example, a judge might struggle with issuing a strict sentence (justice) or leniency (mercy), particularly in extenuating circumstances such as the accused being a first-time offender (real-world example from the legal system).

Throughout these categories, Kidder advocated for thoughtful analysis and dialogue to navigate the complexities accompanying ethical dilemmas. His work illuminates the intricacies of moral decision-making, underscoring ethics as a dynamic and challenging field.

Examples of Ethical Dilemmas

Truth vs loyalty.

1. Conflict of Interest This occurs when your loyalty to one party undermines your ability to be truthful or impartial to another. For instance, an auditor reviewing the accounts of a company where a relative is an executive officer faces a truth versus loyalty dilemma.

2. Whistleblowing This situation evolves when an employee uncovers illegal or unethical practices within an organization. The employee must choose between loyalty to the organization and telling the truth by exposing the wrongdoing.

3. Professional Secrecy When professionals like doctors or lawyers have information about a client that could harm others––like a patient revealing they intend to harm someone, they face a truth versus loyalty debate about whether to break confidentiality.

4. Journalism Confidentiality Reporters often deal with the dilemma when protecting a source’s anonymity may protect wrongdoing or cause harm. They must weigh their loyalty to the source against their commitment to truth and public interest.

5. Employee Favoritism Managers might face dilemmas when choosing between treating all employees fairly (truth) and giving preferential treatment to friends or family in the workplace (loyalty).

6. Client Representation Lawyers often grapple with representing a client faithfully––even when the client is guilty of a crime and denying it in court. This dilemma pits their loyalty to the client against their commitment to the truth.

7. Academic Cheating A student who is aware of another student’s academic dishonesty faces the problem of loyalty to a friend versus the truthful reporting of misconduct.

Individual vs Community

Also known as: Social Dilemma

8. Vaccination Debates Individuals may resist getting vaccinated for personal health beliefs, conflicting with the community’s wellbeing, which benefits from herd immunity.

9. Resource Allocation Communities may require certain resources for the common good , which may limit an individual’s access to these resources for personal use.

10. Zoning Disputes A city’s decision to allow commercial developments in residential areas could harm the quality of life for individual residents while promoting the economic growth of the community.

11. Public Health Measures During a pandemic, individuals may disagree with measures like lockdowns that limit their personal freedoms, even if these measures are beneficial to the community as a whole.

12. Education Policy Changes Policies like school consolidation can affect individual children who prefer smaller, neighborhood schools over larger institutions preferable for budgetary and educational reasons.

13. Environmental Regulations Regulations that protect the environment often restrict individual liberties by limiting options for property development or resource use.

14. Freedom of Speech A person’s right to express potentially harmful or offensive ideas can conflict with a community’s desire for safety and respect.

Short-term vs Long-term

15. Financial Investments Deciding to spend money now (short-term) for immediate comforts or investing it for future gains (long-term) is a classic short-term vs long-term dilemma.

16. Career Advancement You may face the dilemma of taking an appealing job now versus pursuing education or training that may open better opportunities in the long run.

17. Environmental Considerations A company might face a choice between using cheap, environmentally damaging production methods (short-term) or investing in sustainable practices that may bring future reputation boost and savings (long-term).

18. Health Choices An individual may need to decide between enjoying unhealthy habits, like junk food or smoking, now versus considering the long-term health implications.

19. Business Growth Entrepreneurs confront this dilemma when deciding whether to reinvest earnings into the company for long-term growth or take more profits in the short term.

20. Public Policy Politicians often have to choose between pursuing policies with immediate benefits that voters will notice or focusing on the long-term, slower solutions like infrastructure development.

21. Technology Upgrades A company might have to decide between sticking to older, cheaper technology now or investing in a costly, cutting-edge technology that promises improved efficiency and profitability in the future.

Justice vs Mercy

22. Leniency for First-Time Offenders A judge might choose to give a strict sentence to a first-time offender to uphold justice. Conversely, mercy would suggest a more lenient sentence or rehabilitation effort, given that it’s the offender’s first mistake.

23. Pardon of a Death Row Inmate A governor may face an ethical dilemma where they have to decide between granting a pardon to a remorseful death row inmate (mercy), and upholding the court’s decision to execute, based on the gravity of the crime committed (justice).

24. Hate Crime Retribution A victim of a hate crime could be torn between wanting justice done – seeing the offenders punished to the full extent of the law – and showing mercy, hoping that education and awareness could change the offenders’ prejudices.

25. Academic Misconduct A professor who catches a student plagiarizing could provide a second chance, valuing mercy to allow for learning and growth, or they could issue immediate punishment (like failing the student) to uphold academic integrity and justice.

26. Role of Advisors in Financial Crisis Companies may seek to punish advisors implicated in a financial crisis to preserve justice, but showing mercy, reprimanding and educating them instead of outright firing, may be more constructive and prevent recurrence.

27. War Crimes Dilemma Post-war scenarios often involve a decision between seeking justice by prosecuting war criminals, or demonstrating mercy by forgiving and focusing on national healing and reconciliation.

28. Social Welfare Decisions Policymakers might struggle between enforcing strict eligibility criteria to ensure that only those truly deserving get social benefits (justice), versus being flexible in applying rules to avoid denying assistance to those in dire need (mercy).

Navigating an ethical or moral dilemma is no easy task, and often there is no clear right or wrong answer. Yet, understanding the principles and theories underlying ethical decision making can guide you in evaluating potential actions and their consequences (Ferrell, Fraedrich, & Ferrell, 2018). It should help in choosing the least harmful or most beneficial course of action.

Ferrell, O. C., Fraedrich, J., & Ferrell, L. (2018). Business ethics: Ethical decision making & cases (12th ed.). Boston: Cengage.

Barrett, C. (2018). Everyday ethics for practicing planners . London: Routledge.

Plaisance, P-L. (2017). Media Ethics: Key Principles for Responsible Practice (2nd ed.). Sage Publications.

Reynolds, G. (2014). Ethics in Information Technology (4th ed.). New York: Cengage Learning.

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Dr. Chris Drew is the founder of the Helpful Professor. He holds a PhD in education and has published over 20 articles in scholarly journals. He is the former editor of the Journal of Learning Development in Higher Education. [Image Descriptor: Photo of Chris]

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Example College Application Essay: Describing Your Setback

EssayEdge > Blog > Example College Application Essay: Describing Your Setback

Look through the sample essay for college admission before editing.

Describe a setback that you have faced. How did you resolve it? How did the outcome affect you? If something similar happened in the future, how would you react?

Like other boys, I enjoy water. Ever since I was five years old, I spent many summer days in YMCA swimming pool. When I was 13 years old, I felt that I need something more challenging than just enjoying the water so I joined high school development team of Badger Swim Club. On the first day, as soon as the coach gave order, all the team members quickly dived into the water except me jump into the water. After a few laps, I was way behind all the others. While I was trying to catch up; I was already out of breath. To make things worse, the coach was constantly correcting my techniques. My stroke, my somersault, my diving, nothing I did seemed right to him.

N.B. After finishing the reading, compare this text with the edited version to understand the main mistakes made by the candidate in the essay example for college application.

The whole first week, I was stuck with him to improve my diving. He pointed out that “I should dive with my head instead of my whole body.” While my body and my mind gave me the message “Quit! Quit!” In my heart, I felt that quitting wasn’t right thing to do. I craved to become as good a swimmer as the other team members. So I kept practicing. Quite a few times, I felt as though I had pushed myself to limits and I couldn’t do it anymore. My goal want to be a good swimmer have me keep Practice! Practice! Practice! Finally, I conquered physical and mental challenge. After a couple of months, I swam as well as the other team members.

When facing challenge, it is easy to quit. But if you want to achieve something, stick to it. Make a commitment. Being consistent in effects, you will succeed.

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This is my senior year so I have a heavy load with classes, leading clubs, my job, and volunteering so sometimes I feel overwhelmed. That brought my memory of struggling in swimming pool. Last week I had AP chemistry and humanities AC test on the same day while I was thinking which one I should approach, my phone rang. My boss asked me to update some information right away because there is some conference the week after. I wanted to say “No, I have too many things to do!” Then I thought: why did I take the job in the first place? I felt it is very important to be responsible as an employee so I decided to postpone my homework for a bit and finishing updating the site. One hour later after I reviewed all chapters of chemistry, I did some practice quiz. I was way too sleepy to study so I went to bed. Can I stand that I will have a bad grade? No, so I set up my alarm clock to 5 and wake up early in the morning to finish my reviewing of humanities.

Weaknesses, setbacks and failures are part of life. In future, through my experience swimming, I believe that I now know how to manage these imperfections so that they do not dictate me but instead, I can look past them.

See this college essay sample after the edit. Also, look through other college application essay samples to find the necessary topic.

This sample proves there’s nothing difficult in presenting a failure or setback in a positive light, right? The version you’re reading is unedited, so it’s okay to see mistakes and inconsistencies there. If you’re impressed by the editing quality, why not try our best college essay review service? We would be glad to help you with editing your paper.

See this essay after the edit

Common Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing and their Solutions

Healthcare professionals, including nurses, face ethical dilemmas fairly regularly. Most of the dilemmas are usually serious and very stressful because when faced with a dilemma, a nurse must make a decision, which is easier said than done.

As a nursing student, you might be assigned to write an essay where you identify, analyze, and resolve an ethical dilemma. We have noticed over the years that many students struggle with writing an ethical dilemma nursing essay. If that sounds like you, read this post that comprehensively explores ethical dilemmas in nursing, including their examples and solutions.

In most cases, essays about ethical dilemmas in nursing take the reflective essay approach, where you reflect on real, researched, or imagined clinical scenario or encounter. It could be during your placement, clinical rotations, or shadowing experiences. As you do so, you will borrow from various ethical theories and decision-making models.

If you could use some help, our experienced online nursing essay writers can help you get a bespoke ethical dilemma essay at an affordable fee.

Let's get started with the basics to more advanced concepts.

What is an Ethical Dilemma in Nursing?

An ethical dilemma is a scenario where it is not easy to decide one way or another. Nurses are faced with ethical dilemmas almost every day. They have to make serious and difficult decisions fairly regularly. The decisions can sometimes mean life or death. Therefore, as a student nurse, it is vital to learn about ethical dilemmas nurses face, how to identify them, and how to solve them correctly.

When facing an ethical dilemma, you should always follow the nursing code of ethics . This is because most dilemmas can be solved by following the nursing code of ethics. The nursing code of ethics is a bunch of rules nurses has to follow to provide quality, safe, and unquestionable care to those who need it.

While most dilemmas can be solved by following the code of ethics in nursing, some dilemmas cannot be solved in this manner. The reason is that the nursing code does not guide every ethical dilemma or situation.

If faced with a situation that makes it difficult for you to follow the nursing code of ethics, you should use your judgment to weigh the pros and cons of both decisions to make the right decision.

Examples of ethical dilemmas nurses face regularly include: how to deal with a non-compliant patient, how to deal with a patient that is refusing treatment, and whether to disclose confidential information to help a patient.

Ethical Dilemma Versus Moral Dilemma

The terms ethical and moral are often used interchangeably in speech. However, the two terms do not always mean the same thing. For example, there is a slight difference between ethical and moral dilemmas.

An ethical dilemma involves two morally correct choices, but one is slightly more ethically problematic than the other. In contrast, a moral dilemma is a situation with two morally correct choices, but neither is preferable. For the moral dilemmas, the nurses know the right action yet might be limited to acting by forces outside their control.

As a nurse, you are more likely to face ethical dilemmas than moral dilemmas. Because ethical dilemmas are anticipated, a code of conduct has been created to help you always make the right decision.

Reasons Nurses Face Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare

There are many reasons why nurses face ethical dilemmas frequently when providing care to patients. The following are the eight main ones:

Inadequate staffing. When a healthcare facility has fewer staff than it needs to function optimally, nurses sometimes must make a tough decision. They have to decide whether to work longer to care for patients or to prioritize their mental and physical health and work only as much as possible.
Incompetent peers. As a registered nurse, you will have a big dilemma if you notice a colleague showing incompetence. You will have to choose one of two options – to ignore your colleague's incompetence because they are a friend and they probably will not do it again, or report your colleague to a supervisor to ensure high standards are maintained. This is an ethical dilemma since the former is more ethically problematic than the latter.
Religious/cultural beliefs. Your religious or cultural beliefs may present an ethical dilemma as a practicing nurse. For instance, you might be given a nursing assignment that contradicts your religious beliefs, e.g., you are asked to clean up the private parts of a male patient after a procedure as a Muslim female nurse (this is forbidden according to Islam). It is easy to see how this situation would present an ethical dilemma.
Patient refusing treatment. There are occasionally situations when patients refuse treatment. As a nurse, you know what is best for the patient. However, you also know that they have the right to make their own decision. So when a patient refuses treatment, this will always present you with an ethical dilemma – do you insist and look for ways to ensure they get the treatment or grant them their wish?
Artificial nutrition and hydration. Some patients and older adults do not want to be fed or hydrated using a tube. This presents a huge ethical dilemma for nurses. This is because nurses are trained to care for people who need it. Therefore, they feel bad about it when they see the need to provide artificial nutrition and hydration and get stopped because of a patient's wishes. They feel so bad because they know there is something they can do, yet they are asked not to do it.
Providing futile care. Being asked by a patient's family to continue providing care despite a patient's continued decline is one of the biggest ethical dilemmas nurses face. This is especially true for critical care nurses. Being trained medical staff, they can see when it is not in a patient's best interest to continue receiving aggressive interventions. However, most of the time, patient families don't want to give up on their loved ones. Therefore, they insist that interventions continue presenting nurses with a big ethical dilemma.
Opioid crisis. The opioid crisis across the United States presents nurses with several ethical dilemmas. For example, many nurses do not want to give patients opioid pain medications, especially when they believe they risk getting addicted. Now imagine knowing that a patient can benefit from a medication yet at the same time feeling like it could lead to them getting addicted to it
Anti-vaccine stance. Nurses who do not mind vaccines face a dilemma whenever they interact with those against vaccines. This is because, on the one hand, they know they have to provide care to everyone without discrimination. Yet, on the other hand, they know that people against vaccines pose a serious public health hazard.

Identifying Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing

As evident in the section above, ethical dilemmas can arise virtually anywhere in the nursing world. It is up to you as a nurse to identify dilemmas when they arise and deal with them as expected by the ANA code of conduct. In this section, we are going to focus on how to identify ethical dilemmas in nursing.

Here are the main indicators of ethical dilemmas in nursing.

Harm potential. When you face a healthcare situation that has the potential to impact a patient negatively, you are most likely facing an ethical dilemma. If it were so easy to spare the patient from the negative impact, the situation wouldn't be a dilemma because this is the option you would take.
Conflict of interests. When you face a healthcare situation with a conflict of interests between you and the patient or you and the case management team, it is likely an ethical dilemma.
Uncertainty. This is perhaps one of the biggest indicators of ethical dilemmas and dilemmas. When you face a healthcare situation in which you are unsure what to decide, you are most likely facing an ethical dilemma. Nurses are trained to judge situations and make decisions quickly. When you cannot do these things as a nurse, something is holding you back, and the situation is likely a dilemma.
Cautiousness. When you face a healthcare situation in which you are cautious about the outcome of the options you can take, you are most likely facing an ethical dilemma. People are cautious when making ethical dilemma decisions because they do not want to see negative consequences (if any) caused by their decision(s).
Delay. When you have a decision to make at work and keep delaying the decision-making, you are most likely facing an ethical dilemma. People delay making ethical dilemma decisions because they fear the consequences.

Principles of Nursing Ethics

Principles of nursing ethics were formulated to help nurses consistently make the right decisions when faced with ethical situations. There are many principles of nursing ethics, but the main ones are non-maleficence, beneficence, autonomy, and justice. These are the ones that are always integrated into nursing training programs to help nurses make the right decisions whenever they are faced with difficult situations.

1. Nonmaleficence

Nonmaleficence is probably the most well-known ethical principle in the healthcare world. It applies to nurses, doctors, and other medical professionals.

This principle teaches nurses that it is their responsibility to provide care, treatment options, and/or case management in a manner that does not harm the patient. When you internalize this principle as a nurse, you will always choose to provide care and treat patients safely.

Non-maleficence is an important part of providing patients with safe and quality care. Exercising this principle means doing everything possible as a nurse to provide care while ensuring the highest degree of patient safety.

An excellent example of non-maleficence in nursing practice is withholding the administration of a powerful medication until you get confirmation on whether a patient is allergic to it or not. Another example of maleficence in nursing practice is discontinuing medication when you notice signs of adverse reactions.

When a nurse lacks this principle, it can result in dire consequences for patients. More specifically, a lack of nonmaleficence can lead to reduced patient safety. And, of course, this can mean patient injury or even death. Patient injury or death resulting from lack of nonmaleficence can cause mental trauma, job loss, and even legal consequences.

Therefore, it is imperative to internalize and adhere to this nursing principle.

2. Beneficence

Beneficence is another important nursing principle. This principle is characterized by charity and kindness. It is basically all about ensuring your actions are guided by compassion and maximum consideration of the welfare of those you serve.

While some people choose to pursue nursing for the money or job security, most people in nursing are in it out of their love for serving others. Therefore, this beneficence principle is almost always naturally ingrained in the minds of most nurses.

The best way to apply this nursing ethical principle is to always act in the patient's best interest regardless of the circumstances. Practicing this principle regularly will ensure the patient is always cared for in the best way possible. You will also automatically improve positive patient outcomes.

An excellent example of beneficence in nursing practice is offering to sit with a patient to console them after giving them bad news about their situation. Another superb example of beneficence is drawing curtains to protect a patient's and his family's privacy when exchanging final goodbyes.

Lack of beneficence can result in poor nurse-patient relationships and reduced patient safety. When a patient realizes you are not kind or acting in their best interest, they will not be very interested in showing you kindness or respect. This can result in poor nurse-patient relationships and adverse patient outcomes.

As mentioned above, a lack of beneficence can also lead to reduced patient safety. When you don't act in the patient's best interest, it can lead to safety issues such as failure to record vital info, failure to use protective measures when providing care, and medication errors.

It is easy to see how following this principle can make it easier for nurses to provide quality care and make more ethical decisions.

3. Autonomy

Autonomy is a fundamental nursing ethical principle. It recognizes the right of the patient to make their own decisions. Nurses must never forget this right to avoid imposing their will or self-interest on the patient.

Of course, there is a right way to recognize patients' independence and ability to make their own decisions. This right way involves offering the patient all the necessary information to make the best decisions. This information includes available treatment options and the pros and cons of each option.

Once a nurse has offered a patient all the correct information, they have to respect whatever decisions the patient makes, even if they disagree.

Autonomy is essential in nursing practice because it helps nurses adhere to the patient's wishes. It is also important because it passes responsibility for some major care decisions to the patient they will affect the most.

A good example of autonomy is when a nurse agrees to respect a patient's choice not to get treatment, even if they believe the treatment benefits the patient. Another excellent example of autonomy is a nurse respecting a patient's wish to be seen or attended to by a nurse of the same sex for religious reasons.

When a nurse doesn't practice this ethical principle, they can make decisions that make patients feel disrespected. They can also make decisions that can lead to a breakdown of the nurse-patient relationship. Thus, it is always essential to have this ethical principle in mind.

Justice is a fundamental ethical principle. It is all about nurses showing fairness in the way they provide care. Nurses must provide quality care to patients regardless of their appearance, age, financial history, religious preference, race, and gender.

Even when faced with a situation that involves healthcare for a convicted murderer or any other criminal, a nurse must still offer the best care they can provide.

This nursing ethical principle is crucial because it ensures fairness and equity in nursing. In other words, it provides patients care regardless of who they are. This usually has the effect of making patients feel valued. This, in turn, usually has the effect of enhancing patient outcomes.

A good example of justice in nursing practice is providing care to a known anti-vaccine campaigner when they get COVID or any other vaccine-preventable illness. This is justice and fairness because it allows the person to become well again without considering the negative influence of vaccine use.

A nurse lacking this ethical principle can act in ways that make a patient feel rejected, leading to adverse patient outcomes. It can also lead to unfair prioritization in care provision, resulting in dire consequences for the patient.

By following the nursing ethical principles discussed above and adhering to the ANA code of conduct, you can handle different ethical dilemmas correctly and without serious negative consequences.

Examples of Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare

Understanding some ethical dilemma scenarios you can write an essay about as a nursing student is essential. Remember, there is never a right or wrong answer; in the same way, there is no small or big ethical issue. As long as it impacts healthcare, it falls within nursing practice or medical ethics.

The following are some of the most common ethical dilemmas in nursing.

1. Pro-choice versus pro-life.

The pro-choice versus pro-life dilemma is common in nursing. For example, when a patient wishes to have an abortion because they do not want a baby, yet a nurse is pro-life because of religious beliefs, it becomes a big dilemma.

SOLUTION : Respect the wishes of the patient.

2. Religious beliefs versus science.

This dilemma is common in nursing practice. For example, it can occur when a patient refuses a specific procedure or treatment because of religious beliefs, yet a nurse knows what science says is best in the situation.

SOLUTION : Respect patient autonomy and do as they wish.

3. Beneficence versus autonomy.

As a nurse, you must practice beneficence (kindness and charity). You are also required to respect the patient's autonomy. Now imagine you have been ordered to give a patient medication to ease pain and suffering, yet they insist on not taking it to stay awake and spend their last minutes with their loved ones. This presents a great beneficence vs. autonomy dilemma.

SOLUTION : Obey the patient's wishes as long as they are conscious and can make their own decisions

4. Anti-vaccine stance.

As a nurse, you must follow exactly what the guardian wants for a child unless it is required by law to do otherwise. Now imagine a situation where a parent refuses to let their child get vaccinated, yet you know at the back of your mind that vaccines benefit children. You know what you must do, yet a guardian insists you must not do it. This is a significant ethical dilemma.

SOLUTION : Obey the guardian's wishes for their child.

5. Withholding information versus being honest.

Nurses are ethically expected to be open and transparent with patients. However, there are cases when you may feel as a nurse that explaining the gravity of a situation to a patient will worsen their stress and anxiety. You may, therefore, think it is more appropriate to withhold some information from them. This presents a big dilemma.

SOLUTION: Always be honest, especially when the situation is complex. Patients deserve to know the truth.

6. Limited resources versus healthcare needs.

Nurses occasionally face situations where their resources are not optimal for the people they serve. Remember the COVID-ventilator issue? Doctors and nurses had to decide whom to give ventilators initially at the start of the pandemic when there were not enough ventilators.

SOLUTION: When the resources are limited, choosing patients based on severity is recommended.

7. Questionable orders.

Doctors and other medical professionals are not perfect. They make mistakes from time to time. Therefore, you will have a big dilemma when a doctor prescribes treatment, and you feel it is not the best treatment in the back of your mind. Do you fulfill the doctor's order or intercede and question it?

SOLUTION: When you feel something wrong is about to happen, you should speak up to protect the patient's interest.

How to Address Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing

The best way to address ethical dilemmas is to internalize and follow the nursing ethical principles and the ANA code of conduct. However, not everyone constantly has the time and energy to review nursing ethical principles and the ANA code of conduct.

For this reason, we have shared the tips below to help you correctly address ethical dilemmas in nursing.

1. A Problem Shared Is a Problem Halved

When you feel uneasy about an ethical situation, you should share it with a trusted colleague or a supervisor. Communicating the problem with someone else invites a fresh perspective to the problem and increases the likelihood of arriving at a better decision.

2. Internalize Patient Autonomy

Remembering and recognizing patient autonomy or the right to make their own decisions is always important. It doesn't matter what you think is best for a patient – what they want is what you should do as long as it is legal and within your nursing responsibilities. Of course, you should present the patient with all the information they need to decide. So if you ever have to grapple with an ethical situation that makes you feel like ignoring patient autonomy, you shouldn't do it. You should choose the option that ensures patient autonomy.

3. Respect the Right to Privacy

Every patient has a right to privacy. This means you should treat their information as confidential and only to be shared with them or with persons they approve. It is not in your place to share patient information, especially when it is sensitive. You can only share info when given consent. Therefore, if you ever have a dilemma about sharing information, remember to respect the right to privacy and ask for consent to share info if you think it is necessary.

4. Transparency is Key

You should always be open and honest with patients. Doing this will help you to avoid many ethical situations. It will also make it easy for you to make ethical decisions. Therefore, whenever necessary, please share all the information you can share with patients to help them understand what is happening. Share with them the pros and cons of every treatment or management option. Let them be fully aware of the benefits and risks of everything.

5. Ask Yourself What Is in The Best Interest of the Patient

Whenever you need to make an ethical decision, in addition to all your other considerations, you should ask yourself what is in the patient's best interest. Asking yourself this question will help you act in a way that ensures the patient's best interests are taken into account. It will also force you to involve the patient in decision-making to know what they want or wish for. You can never go wrong by acting in a patient's best interest.

6. Stay Up-To-Date with Ethical Guidelines

Ethical guidelines change regularly. Therefore, to ensure you are always making the right ethical decisions, you should stay up to date with ethical guidelines (both professional guidelines and institution-specific guidelines). It is not always easy to do this, but you can subscribe to nursing blogs that discuss ethical guidelines. This will ensure you always have the latest information you need to make good ethical decisions. You can also stay up to date by enrolling in at least one online ethical nursing training program or course. This will help you to refresh your ethical principles knowledge and to be aware of the latest ethical issues in nursing.

7. Always Do Something as Soon as You Can

When faced with an ethical situation, never do anything and hope the situation will resolve itself. Always do something as soon as possible. This will ensure either the issue is solved or starts getting solved. When you ignore an ethical situation, it has the risk of snowballing and becoming a much bigger issue down the line. Therefore, please do something about an issue whenever you can do it quickly.

8. Negotiating Never Hurts Anybody

One of the best things you can do when facing a nursing ethical dilemma is to negotiate with the parties involved. When you do this respectfully and fairly, you can easily resolve most ethical situations. For example, if a patient refuses a specific treatment for religious reasons, you can convince them to accept it using various persuasion techniques. Of course, you should respect the patient's decision if they insist on a certain stance or position.

9. Talk to Somebody Higher Up

As a nurse, some ethical decisions are not yours; they are above your pay grade. In such a case, they should be referred to somebody higher up, e.g., the nurse manager or the nurse supervisor. Because the manager or supervisor is usually more experienced, they are often in a much better position to handle ethical decisions and teach you what to do when faced with the same situation again.

Consequences of Failing to Address Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing Properly

When you fail to address ethical dilemmas in nursing correctly, there are often negative consequences. The most common negative consequences nurses have to deal with include the following:

1. Loss of License

When you are faced with an ethical decision, you must make sure you act in the way expected of you according to the nursing code of conduct. Failure to act in the manner that is expected of you in the nursing code of conduct can lead to loss of licensure. This is especially true when your decision in an ethical situation is an egregious violation of the nursing code of conduct or the ethical principles of nursing. Therefore, when faced with an ethical decision, it is best to consider the options carefully and to act in the way that is expected of you.

2. Legal Issues

You could face legal issues when you fail to adequately address certain ethical dilemmas in nursing. As a nurse, you have specific responsibilities. You are also expected to adhere to the nursing code of conduct. If you fail to address ethical issues correctly, e.g., you leak confidential information about a celebrity patient for money to the public, you could face legal issues, including a lawsuit and/or criminal charges. Hence it is crucial to think long and hard about some ethical issues before deciding what to do.

3. Job Suspension or Termination

Most hospitals have a code of conduct that nurses and other healthcare professionals must sign when hired. They expect nurses to follow the code to the letter. Most hospitals also expect nurses to follow the ANA code of conduct and to always adhere to the ethical principles of nursing. So when faced with an ethical situation and failing to act correctly, you could end up before the ethics committee of your hospital, and they could recommend your suspension or the termination of your job contract.

4. Stress and Burnout

Ethical situations can cause a lot of stress and mental burnout. They can make it almost impossible for you to continue operating normally. When you ignore them or make the wrong decision, you can potentially make them worse. This can lead to even more stress and even physical burnout. Consequently, it is important to make the right decisions quickly when faced with ethical problems or issues.

5. Negative Patient Outcomes

The worse thing that could happen if you don't address ethical issues correctly is an adverse patient outcome, such as patient deterioration, patient injury, or death. It is always painful for nurses to realize or discover that their decisions caused an adverse patient outcome. It can lead to stress, loss of self-confidence, and so on. Of course, an adverse patient outcome can also lead to legal issues, job suspension, and job loss. So it is best to make the correct decision whenever faced with an ethical dilemma.

Takeaway about Ethical Dilemmas in Nursing Practice

Nursing training is all-rounded in anticipation of all the issues a trained nurse would experience in typical clinical settings. Learning about ethical dilemmas and how to solve them can be a stepping stone toward excellence as a nurse or medical/healthcare practitioner. You will be dealing with many ethical dilemmas in the workplace and an experience on how to solve them can always help you avert adverse situations.

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Service Academy Discussion
Air Force Academy - USAFA

Essay help?

Thread starter ctuma2
Start date Oct 13, 2011
Oct 13, 2011

Hello, I am currently trying to complete my second essay for the Air Force Academy and I am having great trouble comping up with a topic. The prompt is as follows: Describe a setback or ethical dilemma that you have faced. How did you resolve it? How did the outcome affect you? If something similar happens in the future, how would you react? Now the thing I am having trouble is that I don't think the setback I am describing is strong enough to make an essay. I am basically writing about how I wish to be self-reliant so that I don't have to depend on my parents and through failure of finding a summer job, I have developed my own neighborhood landscaping business. However I doubt something like this could happen again in the future so the essay kinda ends there. What I was hoping for is if someone would be kind enough to describe what they wrote about so that I could get some idea and perhaps come up with another topic that would be stronger. And unfortunately, I really have not faced any ethical dilemmas since generally, you have to either be the subject or person interacting with someone facing a ethical dilemma. I hold myself to such high moral standards that I never struggle with an ethical dilemma and I surround myself with people who also have strong values thus giving me no potential for an idea. Thank you very much for all your assistance.

Well what helped me was that I listed all the worst things that had happened to me in life and ranked them from 1-10 and picked the #1 and talked about it. If you need help coming up with setbacks happening to you, it could be about some relative dying, or about an important event in your life that held you back, or something like that.

Oct 14, 2011

Nobody sits here on the boards, thus, nobody can honestly tell you what the board looks at when assessing a point value. This is just my pet peeve, but I don't think people should share their essay topics. I am not insinuating that you will steal their idea. I am saying that this is your responsibility to find your voice and if you try to mimic suggestions from others you lose your voice. Before I get flamed at, it is fine IMPO to ask for people to read it after it is completed, just like you would ask your ALO or your AP ENG teacher. There is a difference, the latter occurs when it is completed. You actually have a perfectly fine topic, but it appears a poor closing. "However I doubt something like this could happen again in the future so the essay kinda ends there In this economy that is the farthest thing from the truth because unemployment rate is 25% for teenagers and 18% for straight out of college nationally. It happens all the time. What on earth leads you to believe this could happen again in the future? Kids have been making landscaping businesses for decades. Now if you are saying that you turned it into a 5 employee business with a profit of 40K a yr within the 1st yr., I am with you. However, if you are saying you made 1K a week, over the summer, I am not with you. DS painted over this past summer to make money, he got paid 25 bucks an hour under the table, actually was offered contracts to come back home in the fall to do more painting which he declined. DD got paid her rising HS sr yr 30 bucks an hour to babysit 6 kids at a time (3 families 10 each). The point is money is there and that comment of doubt is not something I would say as someone who has kids that couldn't get a job due to the economy at one point or another. Now, IMPO, I bet you didn't scratch your emotional itch when it came to this topic. You need to express why that this was the 1st thought regarding it being a setback. Was it burden on the folks that they would have to pay for spending money? If so, why did you feel it was that way? Gave you a car, paid for your insurance and money is tight? Was it because you felt that you let them down emotionally? You felt that they were disappointed in you for not getting a job? Did you selectively choose what job you would do? Thus, your ego was in the way and you let your parents down because they didn't raise you to believe you were better than someone else? Was it that for the 1st time you were humbled and came to understand you were not the be all because they didn't hire you? That for yrs you were the academically smart one, the jock, the popular one. Everything you wanted you got, and now reality hit you. Not saying you are pompous, I am saying, that it is the 1st time you realized that you had to ask why them and not me? I hope you understand the difference. It is not an insult. Did you create the company for money? Or did you create it because you were faced with a negative and refused to give into anybody's opinion that you can't succeed? Did you succeed because your support system? Think about it... you can use this scenario to show what the AFA is looking for. Motivation, Leadership, Support, etc. Again, before people attack me for the pet peeve comment...look at it from an APENG teacher. I only addressed his motivation, and did not suggest he look at other essays to get direction. All he needs is to look deeper into his life.

Pima said: Nobody sits here on the boards, thus, nobody can honestly tell you what the board looks at when assessing a point value. This is just my pet peeve, but I don't think people should share their essay topics. I am not insinuating that you will steal their idea. I am saying that this is your responsibility to find your voice and if you try to mimic suggestions from others you lose your voice. Before I get flamed at, it is fine IMPO to ask for people to read it after it is completed, just like you would ask your ALO or your AP ENG teacher. There is a difference, the latter occurs when it is completed. You actually have a perfectly fine topic, but it appears a poor closing. "However I doubt something like this could happen again in the future so the essay kinda ends there In this economy that is the farthest thing from the truth because unemployment rate is 25% for teenagers and 18% for straight out of college nationally. It happens all the time. What on earth leads you to believe this could happen again in the future? Kids have been making landscaping businesses for decades. Now if you are saying that you turned it into a 5 employee business with a profit of 40K a yr within the 1st yr., I am with you. However, if you are saying you made 1K a week, over the summer, I am not with you. DS painted over this past summer to make money, he got paid 25 bucks an hour under the table, actually was offered contracts to come back home in the fall to do more painting which he declined. DD got paid her rising HS sr yr 30 bucks an hour to babysit 6 kids at a time (3 families 10 each). The point is money is there and that comment of doubt is not something I would say as someone who has kids that couldn't get a job due to the economy at one point or another. Now, IMPO, I bet you didn't scratch your emotional itch when it came to this topic. You need to express why that this was the 1st thought regarding it being a setback. Was it burden on the folks that they would have to pay for spending money? If so, why did you feel it was that way? Gave you a car, paid for your insurance and money is tight? Was it because you felt that you let them down emotionally? You felt that they were disappointed in you for not getting a job? Did you selectively choose what job you would do? Thus, your ego was in the way and you let your parents down because they didn't raise you to believe you were better than someone else? Was it that for the 1st time you were humbled and came to understand you were not the be all because they didn't hire you? That for yrs you were the academically smart one, the jock, the popular one. Everything you wanted you got, and now reality hit you. Not saying you are pompous, I am saying, that it is the 1st time you realized that you had to ask why them and not me? I hope you understand the difference. It is not an insult. Did you create the company for money? Or did you create it because you were faced with a negative and refused to give into anybody's opinion that you can't succeed? Did you succeed because your support system? Think about it... you can use this scenario to show what the AFA is looking for. Motivation, Leadership, Support, etc. Again, before people attack me for the pet peeve comment...look at it from an APENG teacher. I only addressed his motivation, and did not suggest he look at other essays to get direction. All he needs is to look deeper into his life. Click to expand...

Dec 20, 2011
Dec 23, 2011

Describe A Time When You Faced An Ethical Dilemma? (With 10 Sample Interview Answers)

There are always a few crazy situations in our life when we are stuck in the midst of a dilemma. A dilemma refers to a circumstance in which we have to decide between two equally likely options, using our power of wit and knowledge. Though this might seem less daunting and intimidating on the face of it, however, when any such real event occurs it indeed requires a lot of thinking and comprehension. That is why, this is one of the favorite interview questions of an interviewer using which they want to evaluate and examine your critical thinking and innovative abilities, using which you can choose out a single option.

Every question of an interview session is highly thoughtful and created with a broader prospect in mind with a sole objective to evaluate the personality as well as the mindset of a candidate. Hence, this question too, like every other, requires serious preparation and sincere effort. This article promises to complete your preparation and presents you with some really effective tips and ten unique sample answers to consider.

Describe A Time When You Faced An Ethical Dilemma

Six Best Tips To Effectively Answer This Interview Question

1) understand the question completely.

At a workplace, an employee might face a variety of dilemmas and situations, which might be strictly professional and some might be ethical issues. This question requires you to focus only on the ethical conundrums which you might have faced in your own professional career. Hence, stick to the real expectations and demands of the question instead of wandering and delivering an irrelevant answer.

2) Narrate A Real Story

The best way to respond to this question is by narrating a real story that you might have faced in your real professional life. When you are working, you are bound to enter into social as well as ethical dilemmas. Hence, just lay some stress on your mind and try to remember about such situations. Narrating an imperfect or a cock and bull story might affect your chances of selection considerably as any such answer can be easily caught by a veteran interviewer.

3) Do Not Answer In Negative

You face any tricky answer, just respond negatively. This might seem to be the best way to avoid an uncomfortable situation. Unfortunately, this is not. The best way is to accept the challenge and face it with all your vigor and energy. You are strictly advised by Prepmycareer, not to answer this question in a negative manner as that would simply mean that you are underprepared or not interested in the position advertised.

4) Display The Dilemma Clearly

Whatever story you are narrating, just make sure that your interviewer is able to understand and get hold of the two situations completely. If you cannot establish a relationship between the two equally likely options, the whole purpose of this question goes for a toss and an interviewer would simply mark the reply as vague or ambiguous. Such an act would hurt your chances of selection.

5) Share A Single Event

There might be more than one such event that you have faced in your professional career. However, as an ideal reply to this question you are expected to share any single event. This is primarily because of the limited amount of time available with an interviewer and also because stories are really long and time-consuming to narrate.

6) Fair or Not, Justify Your Stand

Ethical dilemmas are against the humanity, environment, or any other social cause that might adversely affect the masses at large. Being an employee of the organization you are trusted and confided in to execute all the tasks, unethical or not. An interviewer totally understands it, and in case you executed an unethical task just for the sake of getting your salary, explain it to the interviewer with logical rationales.

Ten Best Sample Answers To Consider and Study

Sample answer one.

Sir, it is absolutely common for professionals to enter into tricky situations at the workplace with some of the worst situations occurring when an employee faces an ethical dilemma. I remember one event during my previous tenure when I was leading a construction project. We were supposed to create 500 villas on a particular landscape which consisted of more than 1500 trees and a variety of unique shrubs and herbs. Despite, having environmental clearance, it was pretty tough for me to just order the clearing of such a beautiful natural habitat.

The project was really profitable for the organization to execute and at the same time, it could have enhanced the environmental issues to their zenith. Hence, I preferred to use my wit and before giving a sanction to clear the forest, I made a written representation to the senior management, to re-think and re-consider the project and if there are chances to shift the project to any new location. I believe, I made the right choice of sending a written representation, but unfortunately, my proposal got refused.

Sample Answer Two

Sir, in my ten years of professional career, I have faced such dilemmas a number of times. However, I would like to show you the one which really attached me to it. 5 years back, I was working as a manager with a pharmaceutical company. The company was highly profit-oriented and just wanted to earn substantial profits in a very short period of time. This led to aggressive selling of its products and even bribing the doctors. I faced an ethical dilemma when I was forced to give a bribe to a doctor and persuade him to start recommending organizations’ produce of lower quality which might also affect human health. I refused to do so, which is why I am here, sitting for an interview.

Sample Answer Three

During my previous tenure, I was a factory supervisor of a reputed manufacturing organization. The organization was in a habit of making substantial pay cuts to illiterate labor. When one fine day, I remember I was asked to pay depleted wages to the workers of the factory. This was an ethical as well as an emotional dilemma, as I knew the organization was making unjust pay cuts from the wages of the poor and illiterate workers of the factory. I was really tensed for a few moments, and then I decided to become a whistleblower and made a written complaint to the concerned labor officer.

Sample Answer Four

There have been several such instances throughout my professional career. I remember, when I was working as a counselor at a reputed counseling and overseas education organization, to guide a young child in the wrong direction just because the organization was getting handsome commission out of that deal. I was supposed to send the candidature of a child to an inferior foreign university, even though he secured some really good scores.

This was an ethical dilemma for me, as on one side there was a lucrative commission and on the other side, there was a career at stake. I chose the opposite and sent the candidature to the university which the kid actually deserved. As a side effect, I was ousted from my position and thus, I am here in front of you.

Sample Answer Five

I believe, in a quest to earn higher profits, organizations commit and enter into a few unethical business practices that lead to the creation of an ethical dilemma for their employees and workers. I remember, when I was working for ABC Trading Corporation, how the organization was swallowing small traders and manufacturers and tossing the rules and guidelines of the competition law and ministry into the trash.

I was a project manager there and was supposed to offer a minimal amount for purchasing the entire business of its smaller competitors. In case they resisted, they were in to experience some force. This led to the creation of an ethical dilemma, I was simply swallowing up the livelihood means of these smaller corporations. As a result, I simply resigned.

Sample Answer Six

My previous employer was a garment manufacturing company who used to forward job contracts to several smaller manufacturing organizations. I was the inspection officer who used to visit the factory premises of these smaller manufacturing organizations so as to finalize their contracts after making an inspection. There was a really attractive and affordable supplier of ours, who quoted the lowest for the job work. When, I personally went for the inspection purposes, I found that the organization was using unethical manufacturing practices, and the entire factory waste was simply allowed to flow in the fresh river water, which was responsible to serve the water needs of an entire village.

This was really a tough ethical dilemma that I faced, as on one side the livelihood of millions of people was at stake and on the other side there was an entire bucket load of organizational profit that was at stake. But, being a person from a humble financial background, I caved in front of my employer’s demand only for the sake of securing my job and handed over the job contract to that manufacturer.

Sample Answer Seven

I was working as a manufacturing head of a reputed business organization in my previous employment. Our organization had the habit of packaging its goods and heavy products into paper and jute packaging, as a measure to prevent the environment and follow the environmental guidelines. However, there was a period of time, when the company’s profits really dwindled downwards, and it started using plastic for its primary packaging purposes.

I was totally against it as plastic causes greater harm to our environment and was thus stuck in an ethical dilemma. Our company could simply not afford the expensive paper and jute packaging, and being a committed and loyal employee of the organization, I stood by the plastic packaging.

Sample Answer Eight

I faced an ethical dilemma when once upon a time, I encountered some unethical business practices of my previous employer. I was given a task to execute the supervision of a production process for a food company on a job contract basis. It was pretty clear from our client, not to use a particular chemical in our manufacturing processes. However, that element was a catalyst, and used to speed up the production process considerably, but was unhealthy for human consumption.

This pushed me into an ethical dilemma, as our organization was adamant about using this chemical so as to earn a higher amount of profit. However, I never supported the organization in such an ethical practice. I resigned, and even complained to the concerned official

Sample Answer Nine

I remember a similar instance from my previous employment when I was working as the factory manager for a reputed business organization. The working conditions of the factory were strictly in contravention of the applicable factory law and were really unsafe as well as unsanitized. Once I was supposed to hire more laborers for the booming factory production by luring them about high payouts and perfect working conditions. This was a real ethical dilemma, as I knew that is untrue. But, since I was jobless before for a fairly long period of time, I did everything at the instructions of the organization, unethical or not.

Sample Answer Ten

It is common for employees of an organization to get stuck into ethical dilemmas more than not. I remember, how I got stuck into a similar messy situation when I was supposed to give manufacturing contracts to an organization, which used unethical environmental practices while undertaking its manufacturing process. However, being an employee who is loyal and committed, I stood by the organization and supported it even though I never wanted to.

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012369209604116
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1473325010370189

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Ethical Dilemma in the Wells Fargo Scandal Essay

Introduction.

Mistrust is the main ethical issue in the Wells Fargo scandal. The loss of trust between customers and the bank outlines the main ethical problem that affects the organization’s portfolio and performance in the competitive banking industry. Teo and Kimes (2019) isolate the losses made by the organization to have originated from the unlawful opening of saving and credit accounts for customers through the cross-selling policy. Incorporating the ethical theories of utilitarianism, John Rawl’s theory of justice and Aristotle’s virtue-based approach supports the stand of mistrust as the primary ethical problem in the Company’s financial fraud case.

Application of Ethical Theory

Utilitarianism.

According to Komu (2020), the ethics of utilitarianism explain dilemmas based on the harm and pleasures initiated by the choices of an individual’s action. Mistrust destroys customer loyalty and affects consumers’ overall pleasures in purchasing products and services. At the same time, the theory of utilitarianism advocates for actions that result in happiness and pleasure for the majority. For the case study, the fiscal regulatory bodies had the mandate of identifying the flaws at Wells Fargo by exposing the corruption in the firm’s management. Charging Wells Fargo with fraudulent acts portrays the relationships between the theory of utilitarianism and how it could prevent the outbreak of the scandal. In this case, the false accounts harmed the data privacy of clients. Reviewing every client’s personal information and assuring them of safety would solve the bank challenge and offer more business transaction opportunities.

Aristotle’s Virtue Based Approach Theory

The problem at Wells Fargo can be analyzed through the lens of morality, as stated by Aristotle in the virtue approach of ethics. Mistrust appears as the primary ethical challenge encountered by the firm, and leaving the issue unresolved can encourage conmanship in the future setting of businesses. Aristotle stresses the benefits of community contours in shaping morals, and according to him, people develop moral and honorable characters by practicing generous and honest personalities (Papouli, 2018). Therefore, the issue at Wells Fargo could be resolved by eliminating the few characters associated with the plotting of the scam. The flourishing actions of trust can be gained in the firm if the virtue of integrity is instilled in the internal leadership of Wells Fargo. Retrenching the top officials linked to the cross-selling policy would prepare later management to acquire the virtue of trust through practice. John Stuart and Jeremy Bentham agreed with Aristotle’s virtue of ethics because the concept weighs the code of ethics in determining pleasure (Komu, 2022).

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