Moral Dilemmas

Moral Dilemmas are different from ethical dilemmas. Moral dilemmas are dilemmas we face when we are about to do something or think about doing something ( an act, even a thought) but our moral sense tell us that the act is not morally upright. But when we face this situation we have some choices, those choices we select on the basis on our new understanding of things or may be result of kind of socialization we have. In moral dilemmas situation we start justifying the act we want to do.

As we start justifying the act we look into several issues, namely the immediate benefit we get from that decision, the acts of others who we think are morally upright or at least not morally corrupt, and also the difficulty to follow the hard choice.

First example here I would like to take about habit of drinking. we know that in our society drinking alcohol is not morally acceptable. Even constitution in Directive Principles directs the Executive so have provisions related to prohibition. But as we meet friends who are liberal and also less morally conscious about drinking alcohol. Those who have accepted that drinking alcohol as normal as drinking water or having food.

Now you have a socialization in which it is normal but your family socialization may not morally allow that. In this situation when you are being offered a glass of wine during a friends’ birthday, you may face moral dilemma, whether to drink wine or not. Now if you strongly believe in your family values which you have been nourishing since your childhood it might be very hard for your friends to convince you. But if you have any family member who does not have any problem in having alcohol, then there are chances that your position may get weaken.(However there is no such empirical evidences, but lets assume this for sake of this example.)

Now after having wine once, you may or may not stick to this moral argument. You may find nothing troubling with wine after this first experience. And this can be basis for further consumption of the alcohol.

So it is the value system from where we derive moral courage to tackle the dilemmas. if we have strong value system nourished by correct socialization, it will be difficult to change your moral standing.