Ma. Alexandra M. Denson BSMA-2 PHILO 101(73205) TTH 7:30-9:00AM Instruction: Answer the following Ethical Situation below. I. Ethical Dilemmas in Personal Relationships Michael had several friends including Roger and Daniel. Roger has recently met and started dating a wonderful lady named Phyllis. He is convinced this is a long-term relationship. Unknown to Roger, Michael observed them at a restaurant several days ago and realized Phyllis is the wife of his other friend Daniel. Michael is deciding whether to tell Roger that Phyllis is married when he receives a call from Daniel. Daniel suspects his wife is having an affair. Since Daniel and his wife share many friends and contacts with Michael, Daniel asks if Michael has heard anything regarding an affair. No matter who he tells, he knows that it is going to end up hurting one, if not both friends. 1. What should Michael do in this ethical dilemma? To whom does Michael owe greater friendship or loyalty in this situation? I believe Michael should tell Roger first since Roger had just started their relationship with Phyllis. It wasn’t Roger’s fault because he didn’t know that Phyllis had been married already and is having an affair with him. Michael should convince Roger to do the best and good thing to do. I would also tell Daniel about Roger and Phyllis’ affair but would explain to him that Roger did not know that Phyllis is already married. Michael doesn’t need owe greater friendship to anyone of them when he can actually just tell the truth to both of them. If one or both of them got hurt because of what happened, it shall pass because no one deserve people who cheats. 2. Should Michael reveal to Roger that Phyllis is married? Explain Yes, because it is best to let Roger know that lady he is seeing now is tied to someone and she is lying to Roger. He can never have people who would make so much damage in his life and as early as now, it would be best to end their relationship even though the consequence is getting hurt. 3. Should Michael tell Daniel what he knows about Roger and Phyllis? Does that fact that Daniel asked him a direct question have an impact on what Michael should do? Yes, Michael should also tell Daniel about his wife having an affair and it is up to him he would still want to continue his marriage with Phyllis or end it. If Michael has its own principle, I don’t think he has to choose upon who’s the first one he should tell but if I were Michael and Daniel asked me right then and there, I would tell him straight to the point but I would also tell him that Roger didn’t know and he is not be blame. 4. Should Michael speak up to both Daniel and Roger? Does he remain silent and hope his knowledge is never discovered? Yes, if he remains silent it would cause guilt upon him. It also means tolerating Phyllis on cheating. As early as now, someone has to step up and tell the truth because the more time it takes the more damage it brings. Ma. Alexandra M. Denson BSMA-2 II. PHILO 101(73205) TTH 7:30-9:00AM Life or Death Impact Consider a situation in which a group of people are enjoying an outdoor adventure together. One person gets stuck in the only way in or out of an enclosed space, such as a cave. Water starts rising in the cave due to high tide or heavy rainfall. Everyone will perish if the person isn’t removed from the entrance. There is no way of removing the person who is stuck so that the individual will survive. The group has to make an extremely difficult decision. Do they take an extreme action that will cost one member of the group her life? Or, do they do nothing, knowing that chances are good that none of them will survive if that choice of action is taken. 1. Who would be responsible for making such a decision? No one is responsible for making such decision but if the person who got stuck would agree to sacrifice her life in order to save the greater one, I think it would really be the hardest thing to do allow someone to sacrifice their life for you. 2. Is it different if the person who is stuck offers to sacrifice herself versus members of the group suggesting that she be eliminated? Yes, because it feels like you are killing the person if you suggest that she should be eliminated. Having the offer from her would mean she really meant to save the group. 2. What are the consequences of facing such an extreme moral dilemma? This is a really hard decision to make because we don’t’ want someone to offer themselves to save everyone but in this scenario if the person that got stuck thought it would be best to save the greater good then there would be no other choice but to save the greater one. 4. It is commonly accepted that killing a person is wrong, but what about when it’s done to save others? Let us see the soldiers as an example. They are trained and hired to protect the country and what it means by “protecting” includes killing someone that threatens the safety of their fellowmen. In the battlefield, their life has been already sacrificed and it is up to the Almighty God whether or not they could survive or they died in the name of the country and the people. When ending someone else’s life is forced to save the greater good, it somehow similar with murdering someone. 5. What might the consequences be for the survivors if the group chose to kill the person who is stuck so they might survive? If they forced to kill the person who is stuck so that they survive, they will forever live with guilt. If they did it because the person who is stuck agreed to sacrifice her life, they would live remembering her that she saved their lives. 6. Would there be legal consequences? I believe if they forced her to sacrifice her life, there would be legal consequence because she did not give consent. Ma. Alexandra M. Denson BSMA-2 PHILO 101(73205) TTH 7:30-9:00AM 7. What about guilt? If they forced her to sacrifice her life, they will forever live with guilt knowing and believing that they murdered her. If she offered her life, they would still feel the guilt but deep down they know that they did not do it the way what murdering someone would be like forcing her to sacrifice her which is against her will.
