Transcript The dilemma of teaching ethical dilemmas


To provide an overview of teaching and
learning related to ethical dilemmas in
preparation for AS3.4.
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Ethics refers to well-founded standards of right and
wrong that prescribe what humans ought to do,
usually in terms of rights, obligations, benefits to
society, fairness, or specific virtues. Ethics, for
example, refers to those standards that impose the
reasonable obligations to refrain from rape, stealing,
murder, assault, slander, and fraud. Ethical standards
also include those that enjoin virtues of honesty,
compassion, and loyalty. And, ethical standards
include standards relating to rights, such as the right
to life, the right to freedom from injury, and the right
to privacy. Such standards are adequate standards
of ethics because they are supported by consistent
and well-founded reasons. (Ref Markkula Centre
Santa Clara University)
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Ethics also refers to the study and
development of one's ethical standards. As
mentioned above, feelings, laws, and social
norms can deviate from what is ethical. So
it is necessary to constantly examine one's
standards to ensure that they are
reasonable and well-founded. Ethics also
means, then, the continuous effort of
studying our own moral beliefs and our
moral conduct, and striving to ensure that
we, and the institutions we help to shape,
live up to standards that are reasonable
and solidly-based.
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‘The field of ethics (or moral philosophy)
involves systematizing, defending, and
recommending concepts of right and
wrong behavior. Philosophers today
usually divide ethical theories into three
general subject areas: metaethics,
normative ethics, and applied ethics.’
(Ref University of Tennessee)
The study of the origin and meaning of
ethical concepts.
 Where our ethical principles come from,
and what they mean. Are they merely
social inventions? Do they involve more
than expressions of our individual emotions?
Metaethical answers to these questions
focus on the issues of universal truths, the
will of God, the role of reason in ethical
judgments, and the meaning of ethical
terms themselves
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Takes on a more practical task, which is
to arrive at moral standards that
regulate right and wrong conduct. This
may involve articulating the good habits
that we should acquire, the duties that
we should follow, or the consequences
of our behaviour on others.
Involves examining or analysing specific
controversial issues, such as abortion,
pornography, access to fertility
treatments or euthanasia.
 Noting that for health education
purposes, the issue needs to be one that
relates directly to people’s well-being.
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The combination of ideas related to
metaethics, normative ethics, and
especially applied ethics fits well with the
socio-ecological perspective, and the
values underpinning the H&PE approach
to health promotion, and particularly the
way this understanding of ethics relates
to the values of social justice.
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Think of a dilemma much in terms of a
dictionary meaning – a quandary or a
predicament - a situation in which
somebody must choose one of two or
more alternatives
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For health education purposes, an
ethical dilemma is typically a
controversial issue (related to people’s
well-being) that presents a situation
where people (in a society) have
differing perspectives (inclusive of values
and beliefs) about what they think is
morally right or wrong.
Spend some time developing
understanding what ethics is about,
particularly ‘applied ethics’ and ...
 What an (applied) ethical issue is (ie one
that is controversial and is a distinctly
moral issue (and not just a legal one or a
matter of social policy)
 For reference use online university
websites (see handouts and NCEA tasks)

In 2012 the external assessment
specifications will limit the choice
 In 2013, the move to internal assessment
for 3.4 will open up that choice – select
something of interest to students AND
which is an issue of current or recent
debate – it needs to be supported by
recent and relevant evidence (some NZ
in addition to any international)

A range of people who express ideas
that are generally in favour, and those
who are generally against the issue (ie).
 What is it they believe is right or wrong
and where do these ideas come from?
 Use lists (see those supplied as additional
notes) to decide upon the principles
people are adopting when making
these (moral) decisions.
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Key ideas to develop are thing like ....
are the moral beliefs based on personal
or social benefit (eg personal gain or
social good), or based on duty towards
others?
 Ensure that students collect actual
examples from their investigations that
they can use as evidence to back up
their explanations in their analysis.
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1st criterion: Explain, comprehensively, a
contemporary dilemma or ethical issue
from differing perspectives.
 The critical analysis lens here is the
process of working out what the nature
of the ethical dilemma is, then analysing
where the moral thinking and beliefs for
and against come from and what they
are based on.
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2nd criterion: Analyse, perceptively, possible
implications of the differing perspectives on
the well-being for individuals, others, and
society.
 At the moment the focus is on: Individual
(as related to human rights and personal
safety), others (in relation to social structures
like family or friendship or other peer
relationships), society (as related to culture
and opportunities for health promotion)
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Pose a situation based around a person
directly affected by the issue.
 What impact will the people who hold
views for and against the issue have on
the affected person’s well-being ... As an
individual, in their relationships and as
part of a society ....?
 NOTE this gets a bit contrived!!!! Try to
identify the more meaningful aspects ...
TO DISCUSS ..... using the lists of principles
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In order to keep the focus of the
implications on the ‘ethical’ aspects of
the issue and not on the practice in itself
(legal or otherwise), the use of a set of
principles like those provided (there will
be other versions) is needed to work out
what they implications might be
 Task and discussion to work this idea
through .....
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From your general knowledge, identify a
reason why some might support the issue
and others are against it - what beliefs/
values etc do they hold and WHERE do
these come from?
 Relate or match these values/beliefs to
ONE of the sets of principles supplied –
NOW decide what the implications for
the well-being of people and society
might be .....

A range of perspectives for and against
and the basis for these - with relevant
evidence clearly related to the main
aspects of the debate (avoid too much
fringe stuff – keep to the main debate).
 Consideration of the individual, other and
societal impacts in accordance with the
framework provided for these and with a
focus on how the perspectives NOT the
actual practice impact on well-being.
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Pose a situation based around a person
directly affected by the issue.
What impact will the people who hold views for
and against the issue have on the affected
person’s well-being ... As an individual, in their
relationships and as part of a society ....?
Recall: Individual (as related to human rights
and personal safety), others (in relation to
social structures like family or friendship or other
peer relationships), society (as related to
culture and opportunities for health
promotion)
External to internal – frees up context
and choice of issue
 Excellence criterion: ‘Analyse,
perceptively, a contemporary ethical
issue in relation to well-being.’
 First part stays much the same – the
(critical) analysis requires ‘explaining the
differing and opposing perspectives on
the issue, and the reasons for these
different perspectives’
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Get rid of that nasty second criterion
and make it more flexible in order to talk
about the impacts of the ethical
dilemma on the well-being of people
and society (in combination not
necessarily separately) so the remainder
of the analysis is about ‘explaining the
implications of these differing and
opposing perspectives for the well-being
of people and society’