Clarifying Personal Values

In my personal opinion a moral dilemma is one having to choose between what is right and what is wrong. This could be taken in several different ways, and might not be what others view as the right definition however this definition is in my own words. Moral. 2013. In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved April 11, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/moral, the meaning of moral is “of or relating to principals of right or wrong in behavior.” When looking at this specific definition you are unable to complete your assessment without also including the definition of dilemma. Dilemma. 2013. In Merriam-Webster.com. Retrieved April 11, 2013, from http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dilemma, a dilemma is “an argument presenting two or more equally conclusive alternatives against an opponent, in other words a usually undesirable or unpleasant choice.” An example of a moral dilemma that I personally have experienced was choosing whether or not it would be acceptable to call the police and have my sister arrested for theft and possession of prescription medications which she stole from our mother. I had battled along-side my sister for 15 years with her drug addiction and I had finally come to my limit. I decided that it would be in her and her children’s best interest if she was forced into a rehabilitation situation and become the person that I knew she could be and also be capable of raising her children with the right morals and in the right type of environment. It was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever had to make in my life, but I believe it was what was best for her. That was in October of 2009 and she has remained drug free ever since and her children are growing and thriving!

While ethical dilemmas are similar to moral dilemmas, it seems that there is a generous amount of definitions. Upon researching and synthesizing 38 different definitions, Lewis (1985) defines business ethics as comprising the rules, standards, principles,

References: Trevino, L., & Nelson, K. (2011). Managing business ethics: Straight talk about how to do it right (5th ed.). Hoboken, NJ: Wiley. Malpas, J., “Donald Davidson”, The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy (Winter 2012 Edition), Edward N. Zalta (ed.), URL = . Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary copyright © 2013 by Merriam-Webster, Incorporated Lewis, P. V: 1985, 'Defining "Business Ethics": Like Nailing Jello to a Wall ', Journal of Business Ethics 4(5), 377-383.