What Should You Do? Ethical Dilemmas

What Should You Do? Ethical Dilemmas

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Teachers can introduce this lesson by first discussing the word “dilemma” and its root and meaning: the beginning “di” suggests two, in this case, two choices, neither necessarily good or obviously the best. Give an example of such a dilemma: e.g.,The person sitting next to you in a bus dropped his wallet as he was getting off. There is $100 cash in it. What should you do? Have students brainstorm a list of options, such as try to follow the owner and return it, keep it, give it to the driver, etc. Together try to come to consensus on the best choice.

 

As a follow-up activity, students can work in groups with a list of ethical dilemmas, working through them and coming up with best solutions.

 

This activity develops critical thinking skills and discussion skills and can serve as an introduction to a unit on ethics or moral choices.