Colorado College Ethical Dilemma Discussion

Part 1

Within the Discussion Board area, write 200–250 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

For this Discussion Board, please complete the following:

An ethical dilemma is a complex situation in which ethical principles or values are in conflict. When faced with an ethical dilemma, it is not always clear what is right and what is wrong. Ethical dilemmas require us to use ethical decision making, which means we must decide the best course of action even when there is not one clear, right, or ethical choice.

Remember Lena’s ethical dilemma when she was deciding between a new car or spending time with family? Another classic example of an ethical dilemma is the “Trolley Problem.” Check it out!

• Trolley Problem video

Now, think about a time when you had to make a decision for which there was no clear, right answer.

• Briefly describe the situation and why you think there was no clear, right answer.
• Explain what your decision was and why you went with that decision.

Part 2

Within the Discussion Board area, write 200–250 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

For this Discussion Board, please complete the following:

This week, you will explore further how sometimes we have to make decisions knowing that there are downsides to every option. For instance, when Lena decided to pursue her dream of going to college, she knew that her whole family would have to make sacrifices so that she could achieve her dream.

We will all face ethical dilemmas (sometimes called moral dilemmas) at different times in our lives. Making these choices can really impact not just our lives but the lives of those around us. Becoming aware that the decision you face is an ethical dilemma and learning how to consider a problem from all sides can help us to make stronger decisions.

Choose one of the videos below that illustrates an ethical dilemma, and then answer the questions below:

• The Driverless Car Dilemma
• The Justice Dilemma
• The Lifeboat Dilemma
• The Trolley Dilemma

1. Discuss the dilemma faced in your chosen video.
2. Considering critical thinking and ethical decision making models learned in PHIL101, share what decision you would make in your chosen situation along with your reasons why.

Part 3

Within the Discussion Board area, write 200–250 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

For this Discussion Board, please complete the following:

In Unit 4, we are concerned with the many ways in which ethics matters in the workplace. Employee benefits are an important part of how an organization treats its employees. For example, Lena appreciates how her employer provides health insurance and other benefits that help her strike a work-life balance. However, she was upset when they did not offer her extended parental leave when her child was born.

In this discussion board, you will have an opportunity to look at the obligations a company has to the health and well-being of its employees as it creates policies or chooses employee benefits.

Visit this resource to learn more about 28 Types of Employee Benefits.

Address the following in your post:

• Describe a time in your life when you had a difficult time balancing your professional and personal responsibilities or how you envision this might be a challenge in the future.
• Discuss whether you feel that companies have an ethical responsibility to help employees achieve a work-life balance?

Part 4

Within the Discussion Board area, write 200–250 words that respond to the following questions with your thoughts, ideas, and comments. This will be the foundation for future discussions by your classmates. Be substantive and clear, and use examples to reinforce your ideas.

For this Discussion Board, please complete the following:

In this course, we have examined big ideas in ethics, such as integrity, virtue, consequences, duty and more. We have studied how they relate to everyday life, work, and society. This week, you will consider how ethics impacts our use of the Internet.

Michael recently purchased a new tablet to use for his classes. The company he purchased the tablet from offered him a $50 rebate if he would leave a 5-star review on the store’s website; while he likes the tablet, he feels that there are some issues that would cause the tablet to actually merit a 3-star rating. Michael faces an ethical dilemma here.

In your discussion post, you will discuss ethical considerations (sometimes called ethical deliberations) related to using the Internet. Before beginning your primary post, learn more about Internet ethics in this video: Internet Ethics.

In your post discuss the following:

• Share one example of an ethical consideration you or someone close to you has faced when using the internet or social media.
• Discuss how this class has helped you to evaluate the ethical decision including whether you would have selected a different decision if faced with the same situation now.