morality essay question examples

180 Ethics Topics & Ethical Questions to Debate

Our code of ethics is derived from what we think is right or wrong. On top of that, we have to agree to the moral standards established by the society we live in. Conventional norms generally label theft, murder, or harassment as bad. However, there are many influences that impact our considerations and understanding of ethics.

Ethics is a branch of philosophy that studies moral issues. This article outlines the three different types of ethics and presents a list of compelling ethics topics for essays and research papers, as well as ethical questions to debate.

You don’t know how to write about ethics or which ethical argument topic to choose for your paper? Maybe your assignment deadline is dreadfully looming over you? Our custom writing service is happy to help you craft a fantastic essay on ethics whenever the need arises.

🔝 Top 10 Ethical Topics

🧑🤝🧑Types of Ethics
🤔 Ethical Issues
🖥️ Computer Ethics
🧬 Bioethics
🚓👮 Criminal Justice
⚖️ Ethical Dilemmas

⭐ Top 10 Ethics Topics to Debate

😈 ethical questions to debate, 🔍 references.

Religious beliefs vs. medical care
Issues behind unpaid internships
Toxic environment at the workplace
The dilemma of reporting an accident
Should one’s political leanings be private?
The limits of doctor-patient confidentiality
Is it ethical to pay children for good grades?
Ethics at the workplace and discrimination
Should social media be allowed at the workplace?
Promotion of environmental responsibility in business

🧑🤝🧑 Types of Ethics

Modern philosophy splits ethics into three groups: metaethics, normative ethics, and applied ethics.

The core question of metaethics is: “What is morality, and where does it come from?” It is also concerned with the emergence of human values, motivation, and reasoning.
Normative ethics seeks to answer the question, “How should I act?” An example of a normative moral theory is Kant’s Categorical Imperative: Act only according to that maxim whereby you can, at the same time, will that it should become a universal law . In other words: be kind.
Applied ethics seeks to apply moral considerations into real-life controversial subjects. Its contents can vary greatly and touch bioethics as well as criminal justice. It studies specific actions and practices from the point of moral acceptance.

However, ethics does not end with these three types. Over the centuries, philosophers have proposed various ethical theories. Their four general categories are deontological, utilitarian, right, and virtue ethics.

A deontologist is a person with a set of moral duties from which they will not adhere. When faced with an ethical conflict, they will always act according to their self-proclaimed obligations.
For a utilitarian , a decision needs to yield the greatest benefit for the majority.
If rights are the root of an ethical theory, these are the highest priority. A person’s rights can either be established in a society by law or bestowed from one individual upon another.
Judging someone by virtue means considering a person’s character rather than their actions. Here, an individual’s reputation, motivation, and ethics play a crucial role.

Now that you know the basics, you have the perfect ground to start your ethics essay.

🤔 Ethical Topics for an Essay

Ethical issues are situations in which an individual needs to evaluate which course of action is morally right. Essays on this topic shine a light on difficult questions. Therefore, students need to defend their position convincingly.

Discuss what we should do about climate change.
What are the moral problems surrounding abortion?
Can we still justify eating meat?
Investigate the use of plastic in the beauty industry.
Is it unethical to be extremely rich?
Should you buy Nestlé products despite the fact that the company privatizes water?
Is the unequal distribution of wealth unethical?
Discuss how workplace ethics should take sexism into account.
What can we do to combat racism?
Why are LGBT+ people discriminated against?
Should euthanasia be legal?
Can war be ethical?
Should schools punish students for attending the Fridays for Future protests?
Would drug use be unethical if it were legal?
Explain the moral problems that come with automating jobs.

Is it ethical to hire someone to do assignments for you?
How far should everyone’s right to privacy go?
Is using animals for scientific testing unethical?
How should governments deal with refugees?
Discuss the carbon impact of having children.
Can modern societies still be held accountable for what their nation did in the past?
Analyze the benefits and disadvantages of universal income.
How much control should the state have on the press?
Should schools teach religion?
What are ethical concerns regarding downloading media from the internet?

🖥️ Computer Ethics Essay Topics

The advent of information technology has altered every aspect of our lives. Computer ethics applies traditional moral theories to everything surrounding computers and cyber security. The list below contains enthralling ethical topics concerned with the realm of computing.

How much work should we leave entirely to computers?
Discuss the dangers of storing vulnerable data online.
Are computers secure enough to contain so much information about our lives?
Discuss if hacking can be morally justified.
Examine privacy-related concerns regarding computers .
Should all software be free?
How can you legitimize the possession of a computer algorithm patent?
What can be done to prevent cyberbullying?
Investigate the moral effects anonymity has on internet users.
Whose laws apply if you wish to protect your rights online?
Discuss how the necessity to own a computer impacts poorer nations and people.
Which ethical problems can people face due to the internet’s possibilities?
When is sabotaging another person’s computer justified?
Analyze the social responsibility that comes with developing new software.
Are computer crimes less harmful than crimes against humans?
Who owns information that is distributed online?
What is more important: easy accessibility or privacy?
Investigate the moral problems associated with AI.
If a computer makes a critical mistake, whose fault is it?
Discuss the importance of netiquette.
How should tech companies deal with ethical problems?
Can AI algorithms ensure ethical behavior?
Why do tech companies need ethics boards?
Which ethical conflicts appear when using drones?
Investigate racial bias in facial recognition systems.

🏅 Sports Ethics Topics for a Paper

Morality in sports is based on integrity, respect, responsibility, and fairness. Often, this puts athletes into a dilemma: do I want to be ethical, or do I want to win? Answering these questions is not always easy. The following list compiles sports topics for a research paper on ethics.

What are moral complications when using enhancement drugs?
Is gamesmanship unethical?
How important is ethics in sports?
Discuss the moral responsibilities of athletes .
What are ethical reasons to pay college athletes?
Investigate the ethical implications of kneeling for the national anthem .
Can college sports and the principles of higher education go hand in hand?
Investigate the sexist bias in sports.
Was it selfish when the American female soccer team went to court to demand equal pay?

What moral obligations do universities have towards their athletes?
When can you justify cheating?
Concerning the environment, how can professional sports events be ethical?
Which ethical issues do healthcare workers have concerning sportspeople?
Which moral duties do teams’ coaches have?
Are the extremely high salaries of sports professionals justified?
In 2003, the Olympics abolished the wild card system. Was that fair?
Because of the Paralympics, disabled athletes cannot take part in the real Olympics. Is that discriminatory?
Discuss how money influences the fairness of a sport.
Debate if and how children are exploited to become elite athletes.
Which moral duties should a good sport follow?
How much should parents get involved in their child’s physical education?
Investigate if everyday codes of ethics should apply to sports.
Discuss the ethical implications of motorsports.
Who is responsible if a player gets injured?
Are referees always fair?

🧬 Bioethics Topics for an Essay

Bioethics comes into play when we talk about life and health. It expands from genetics to neurology and even plastic surgery. In the name of the common good, researchers often find themselves in conflicting positions. This makes bioethics an especially exciting topic to write about.

Discuss the moral conflicts of genetic engineering.
What are the ethical responsibilities associated with using CRISPR?
Investigate the problems of stem cell research.
When can humans be used for drug testing?
Should vaccinations be mandatory for everyone?
Investigate the ethics that apply to a medical worker.
Discuss the harmful effects of plastic surgery.
Should a person who is brain dead be kept alive?
Is it just that medical care is linked to an individual’s ability to pay?
Should everyone be an organ donor by default?
What is more important: a person’s right to privacy or the information of at-risk relatives?
Is prenatal invasive testing ethical?
Should neuroenhancement drugs be legal?
Discuss ethical conflicts concerning Disclosure and Barring Service.
Is it ethical to improve memory functions with brain stimulation?
Analyze the ethical issues concerning precision medicine.
What are the problems of surrogacy?
Should medical personnel collect healthy tissues of a deceased person without their consent?

Bioethics is closely connected with the fields of technology, medicine, politics, philosophy, and law,

What should be done with the child of a brain-dead pregnant woman?
How important is a subject’s anonymity during research?
Discuss the ethics of shared decision-making .
How much responsibility do mentally challenged people carry for their actions?
Was Sweden right not to impose strict lockdown rules during the COVID-19 pandemic?
To what extent are businesses responsible for their employees’ health?
Should universal healthcare be free?

🚓👮 Criminal Justice Ethics Topics to Write About

Law enforcers should always act ethically. Unfortunately, it is not always the case. Police officers and attorneys often end up in morally ambiguous situations. In many cases, they don’t do what the public deems the right thing. Below are the examples of criminal justice ethics topics.

When is it legitimate for a police officer to use violence?
How can an officer remain impartial?
Should law enforcement visibly wear guns in public?
How much force is too much?
Investigate possible ethical implications associated with true crime podcasts.
Should prostitution be legal in the US?
How ethical is interrogation?
Can torture be justified?
Discuss the ethical consequences of lying when working in criminal justice .
Is working undercover deception?
Debate whether it is an American citizen’s moral duty to participate in jury duty.
Should the police be allowed to access everyone’s data?
Discuss the moral complications of “innocent until proven guilty.”
Should convicted pedophiles be allowed to see their children?
Can teaching ethics at schools prevent crime?
Analyze ethical problems of the Stanford Prison Experiment.
Should NATO have become involved in America’s Afghan war?
What are the ethical implications of shooter drills at school?
Was Edward Snowden morally in the wrong?
How should we deal with child soldiers?
Discuss if the prosecution of Julian Assange is justified.
Examine the ethical problems of private prisons.
What moral obligations should someone consider when granting prisoners the right to work?
When is capital punishment justified?
Is it ethical to incarcerate juvenile offenders?

⚖️ Ethical Dilemma Topics to Write About

An ethical issue becomes a dilemma when different moral standards clash with each other. In this situation, it is impossible to find a path to an ethically permissible solution that is unambiguous. The following sample topics are a solid base to start a discussion on morals.

Should parents watch over what their children do on the internet?
Would you report an accident you caused if there are no witnesses?
What should a doctor do if a patient refuses life-saving treatment for religious reasons?
Should you turn down a client if their political views do not match yours?
Would you promote something you are not convinced of to get money?
Should you lie to land a job that gets you out of poverty?

Your partner cheated on you. Now, you get the chance to take your revenge with someone you really like. Would you do it?
Should students use automated writing tools like free thesis generators , summarizers, and paraphrasers?
Your teacher is continuously mocking your classmate. You are a teacher’s pet. Would you speak up?
Your son likes to wear dresses. One day, he asks if he can wear one to school. Will you let him?
You are very religious. Your daughter wants to get married to another woman and invites you to her wedding. What will you do?
Prenatal testing showed that your unborn child has a disability. Would you terminate pregnancy?
You are in a long-term relationship. Suddenly, your partner gets a job offer in another part of the world. What would you do?
You have a terminal illness. This makes you a financial burden to your relatives. Are you obliged towards them to quit your treatment?
You have a red and a blue candy bar. Blue is your favorite, but you also know that it’s your friend’s favorite. Will you give it to them?
A friend asked you for a loan. Since then, they have not given you anything back. They are still not wholly stable financially. Will you ask them to return the money?
Your grandma passed away and bequeathed her favorite mink coat to you. You are a vegan. What do you do?
A few years ago, you borrowed a gun from a friend. Now, they ask for it back, but their mental state seems to be rapidly deteriorating. This makes you scared they are going to shoot someone, or themselves. What do you do?
You find out that your friend cheats on their spouse. You are close friends with their family. Will you tell on them?
For your birthday, your friend gave you a sweater they’ve made themselves. You think it’s ugly. Do you tell them?
You are a vegan. Should you buy vegan products which are highly problematic to produce?
You are in a restaurant. Your order arrives too late. The waitress looks stressed. Will you make her take it back?
You went to the store and bought a new, expensive item. The clerk gives you too much change. Do you give it back?
You are walking with a friend and find $50 on the floor. Would you share it with them?
Your child firmly believes in Santa Claus. One Christmas, they start suspecting that he is not real. What do you do?
Is having pets ethical?
Can eating meat be justified?
Should we defund the police?
Should atomic bombs be banned?
Can discrimination be justified?
Is it ethical to ask someone’s age?
Should children get paid for chores?
Is it unprofessional to send voice messages?
Should children be allowed to vote?
Should influencers promote products they don’t use?
Should there be any limitations to doctor and patient confidentiality?
Should physician-assisted suicide be allowed?
Can teenagers get plastic surgery?
What to do when you find out that your relative has committed an offense?
What to do when you see your friend cheating on the exam?
Should sportsmen be paid more than teachers?
Should gender quotas be used during parliamentary elections?
Do companies have the right to collect information about their customers?
Can politicians appeal to religious issues during electoral campaigns?
Should fake news be censored in a democratic society?

We hope that in this list you’ve found the ethics topic that fits you the best. Good luck with your assignment!

101 Ethical Dilemma Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Ethical dilemmas are situations in which individuals are faced with conflicting moral choices. These dilemmas can arise in a variety of contexts, from personal relationships to professional settings. Writing an essay exploring ethical dilemmas can help you develop critical thinking skills and engage with complex moral issues.

To help you get started, here are 101 ethical dilemma essay topic ideas and examples:

Should parents have the right to choose their child's gender?
Is it ethical to use animals for scientific research?
Should doctors be allowed to assist terminally ill patients in ending their lives?
Is it ethical for companies to use data mining to target consumers with personalized ads?
Should schools teach students about different religious beliefs?
Is it ethical to use drones for military surveillance?
Should athletes be allowed to use performance-enhancing drugs?
Is it ethical to genetically modify crops to increase yield?
Should governments regulate the use of social media to prevent misinformation?
Is it ethical to use sweatshop labor to produce cheap goods?
Should companies be required to disclose the environmental impact of their products?
Is it ethical to use algorithms to make hiring decisions?
Should parents be allowed to track their children's online activity?
Is it ethical to use artificial intelligence in criminal justice systems?
Should doctors be allowed to prescribe placebos to patients?
Is it ethical to use genetic testing to screen for diseases?
Should schools monitor students' social media activity to prevent cyberbullying?
Is it ethical to use facial recognition technology for law enforcement purposes?
Should companies be required to pay a living wage to their employees?
Is it ethical to use virtual reality to simulate traumatic experiences for therapy?
Should journalists be allowed to publish leaked government documents?
Is it ethical to use animals for entertainment purposes, such as in circuses?
Should governments regulate the use of AI in autonomous weapons?
Is it ethical to use predictive policing algorithms to prevent crime?
Should companies be required to provide paid parental leave to employees?
Is it ethical to use gene editing technology to create designer babies?
Should schools teach students about the ethical implications of climate change?
Is it ethical to use facial recognition technology in public spaces?
Should employers be allowed to monitor employees' internet usage?
Is it ethical to use AI to create deepfake videos?
Should doctors be allowed to perform cosmetic surgery on minors?
Is it ethical to use drones for environmental monitoring?
Should companies be required to disclose their political donations?
Is it ethical to use social media algorithms to manipulate user behavior?
Should governments regulate the use of biometric data for security purposes?
Is it ethical to use gene editing technology to cure genetic diseases?
Should schools teach students about the ethical implications of artificial intelligence?
Is it ethical to use facial recognition technology in schools?
Should employers be allowed to use AI to make hiring decisions?
Is it ethical to use predictive analytics to assess creditworthiness?
Should companies be required to disclose the gender pay gap?
Is it ethical to use AI to create personalized healthcare treatments?
Should doctors be allowed to perform experimental treatments on patients?
Is it ethical to use drones for wildlife conservation?
Should governments regulate the use of AI in financial markets?
Is it ethical to use facial recognition technology for identity verification?
Should employers be allowed to use AI to monitor employee productivity?
Is it ethical to use gene editing technology to create new species?
Should schools teach students about the ethical implications of genetic engineering?
Is it ethical to use facial recognition technology in airports?
Should companies be required to disclose their carbon footprint?
Is it ethical to use AI to predict criminal behavior?
Should doctors be allowed to prescribe psychedelics for mental health treatment?
Is it ethical to use drones for disaster response?
Should governments regulate the use of AI in healthcare?
Is it ethical to use facial recognition technology in law enforcement?
Should employers be allowed to use AI to monitor employee emotions?
Is it ethical to use gene editing technology to create designer pets?
Should schools teach students about the ethical implications of nanotechnology?
Is it ethical to use facial recognition technology in retail stores?
Should companies be required to disclose their use of data analytics?
Is it ethical to use AI to predict job performance?
Should doctors be allowed to assist patients in medical tourism?
Is it ethical to use drones for agricultural monitoring?
Should governments regulate the use of AI in transportation?
Is it ethical to use facial recognition technology in public transportation?
Should employers be allowed to use AI to monitor employee health? 68

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170 Ethics Essay Topics

Ethics is the study of right and wrong in human conduct. “Ethics” comes from the Greek word “ethos,” meaning character. Ethics is a field of philosophy that studies the nature of morality and assesses human behavior in terms of what is good and what is wrong.

Essays on ethics are always controversial because people have different opinions about what is right and wrong. However, to write a well-reasoned and persuasive ethics essay, some basic principles should be followed.

Check out this guide detailing everything you need to know about how to write an ethics essay, including 170 ethics essay topics that will get you started.

What Style Should an Ethics Essay Be Written In?

The style of your essay should be formal and logical. You will need to make use of evidence to support your claims. However, you should avoid using emotive language or making personal attacks. Ultimately, your goal should be to present a well-reasoned argument supported by evidence and thoughtful analysis.

Outside of the context of essays, ethics is usually studied in the form of philosophical arguments. As such, your writing should use formal language and avoid taking sides in the debate. You should also aim to be as objective as possible in your analysis.

Typically the best writing styles for an ethics essay include argumentative, problem-solution, and cause and effect.

For students writing an argumentative ethics essay, it may be appropriate to use persuasive language in order to make a case. But, be careful not to get too caught up in trying to persuade your reader and lose sight of presenting a well-reasoned argument.

If you are writing a problem-solution ethics essay, your goal will be to identify an ethical problem and propose a solution. In this type of essay, it can be helpful to use emotional language to highlight the severity of the problem. However, you should still avoid making personal attacks and aim to present a balanced argument.

A cause and effect ethics essay will aim to identify the cause of a particular problem in the field of ethics and evaluate the effects that it has had. In this type of essay, you may find it helpful to use statistical data to support your claims.

Ethics Essay Writing Guide

No matter which type of essay you are writing for an ethics course, it is still necessary to include the following elements:

A strong thesis statement that expresses an opinion on the ethical issue at hand.
Supporting evidence for your thesis statement – statistics, expert comments, or real-life examples could be included.
A well-developed argument that analyzes the problem at hand using logical reasoning and critical thinking.
A conclusion that restates your thesis statement and provides food for thought for the reader.

Ethics essays will also need to follow a format that includes an introduction, body paragraphs, and a conclusion.

Your introduction should aim to grab the reader’s attention and give them an overview of the ethical issue you will be discussing. Be sure to include your thesis statement in your introduction.

The body paragraphs of your essay will be where you present your argument and support it with evidence. Each body paragraph should focus on a different point that supports your thesis statement.

Finally, your conclusion should summarize your argument and offer the reader final opinions on the ethical topic you addressed.

The Do’s and Don’ts of Ethics Essay Writing

While the need to communicate your point as clearly as possible may be overwhelming, when writing an ethics essay, there are several things you should do and avoid doing.

Do be clear in the point you want to make.

Many pupils struggle to express themselves clearly on the ethical topic at hand.

As a result, their essays lack concentration and goal. Make sure you understand your thesis statement and the arguments you wish to include in your essay before you begin writing.

Don’t make personal attacks.

When you are writing an ethics essay, it is important to maintain a level of professionalism. This means refraining from making personal attacks on either side of the issue. Not only is this unprofessional, but it will also make your essay less credible.

Do use evidence that many different sources can support.

When writing an ethics essay, you need to back up your claims with evidence. But, not all evidence is created equal. The best evidence to use is that which multiple sources can support. This could include statistics, expert opinions, or real-life examples.

Don’t use emotional language.

When you are writing an ethics essay, it is important to use language that is objective and free from emotion. This means avoiding words like “should” or “must.” Instead, focus on using language that presents the facts without trying to persuade the reader one way or another.

Do research the different sides of the issue.

When writing an ethics essay, it is essential to consider all sides of the issue. Unfortunately, many students make the mistake of only looking at one side of the argument and failing to consider the other. By doing your research, you will be able to see both sides of the issue and present a more well-rounded argument.

Don’t plagiarize.

This should go without saying, but it is important to ensure that all the sources you use in your essay are correctly cited. Plagiarism is a severe academic offense resulting in a failing grade or expulsion from school. So, be sure to give credit where credit is due.

Ethics Essay Topics About Politics

Should political parties be banned?
Should limits be placed on campaign spending?
Are there any circumstances in which it is ethically permissible to lie in politics?
Is it ever ethically permissible to break the law in politics?
What are the ethical implications of gerrymandering?
Should the voting age be lowered?
What are the ethical implications of voter ID laws?
Should prisoners be allowed to vote?
Is it ethically permissible to use public funds for private purposes?
Are there any circumstances in which it is ethically permissible to accept gifts from lobbyists?

Ethics Essay Topics About Business

Should businesses be required to disclose their political donations?
What are the ethical implications of price gouging?
Should businesses be required to provide employees with health insurance?
What are the ethical implications of using child labor?
Is it ethically permissible for businesses to discriminate based on race, gender, or sexual orientation?
What are the ethical implications of using sweatshops?
Should businesses be required to pay a living wage?
What are the ethical implications of huge corporations polluting the environment?
What are the ethical implications of animal testing by pharmaceutical businesses?
Is it ethically permissible for businesses to market unhealthy products?

Ethics Essay Topics About Technology

Should there be limits on the use of technology?
What are the ethical implications of government surveillance?
What are the ethical implications of cyber warfare?
What are the ethical implications of hacking?
What are the ethical implications of online piracy?
What are the ethical implications of using social media?
What are the ethical implications of using artificial intelligence?
What are the ethical implications of gene editing?
What are the ethical implications of biotechnology?
What are the ethical implications of nanotechnology?

Ethics Essay Topics About Religion

Should religious institutions be exempt from taxes?
What are the ethical implications of religious discrimination?
What are the ethical implications of religious violence?
What are the ethical implications of proselytizing?
What are the ethical implications of using religion to justify political decisions?
What are the ethical implications of using religion to justify war?
What are the ethical implications of using religion to justify discrimination?
What are the ethical implications of using religion to justify oppression?
What are the ethical implications of using religion to justify hatred?
How have the ethics of religious beliefs changed over time?

Ethics Essay Topics About Philosophy

What is the meaning of life?
What is the nature of reality?
What is the nature of consciousness?
What is the relationship between mind and body?
How should we live our lives?
What is the difference between right and wrong?
What is the difference between good and evil?
What are our obligations to others?
How should we treat animals?
Should we strive for happiness?

Ethics Essay Topics About The Environment

What are the ethical implications of how we treat the environment?
What are the ethical implications of climate change?
What are the ethical implications of deforestation?
What are the ethical implications of animal agriculture?
What are the ethical implications of water shortages?
What are the ethical implications of oil spills?
Compare and contrast the ethical implications of different approaches to environmentalism.
What are the ethical implications of our throwaway culture?
Are there ethical implications of using recycled materials?
What are the ethical implications of genetic engineering?

Ethics Essay Topics About War

Is war ever ethically permissible?
Discuss points in history where war was ethically justified to the masses.
Was the war in Iraq ethically justified?
Are drone strikes ethically justified?
How should we deal with terrorists?
Do ethics change in wartime?
How does propaganda play into ethical decisions about war?
Should governments be transparent about their activities during wartime?
Is fighting for your country still moral if you don’t believe in the cause?
How does post-traumatic stress disorder impair soldiers’ moral judgment?

Ethics Essay Topics About Family

What are the ethical implications of how we raise our children?
Should parents be allowed to genetically engineer their children?
What are the ethical implications of surrogacy?
What are the ethical implications of abortion?
What are the ethical implications of adoption?
How should we deal with unwanted pregnancies?
Is it ethical to have more than one child?
What are the ethical implications of overpopulation?
What are the ethical implications of sex education?
What are the ethical implications of using technology in the home?

Ethics Essay Topics About Emotions

What are the ethical implications of how we express our emotions?
Is it ever ethically permissible to lie to children?
Is it ever ethically permissible to cheat?
Should we always tell the truth?
How should we deal with anger?
How should we deal with jealousy?
How should we deal with sadness when others don’t share the same views?
How should we deal with fear?
How should we deal with love when it is one-sided?
Ethically, is it better to keep emotions in or let them out?

Ethics Essay Topics About Famous Philosophers

Compare and contrast the ethical viewpoints of two different philosophers.
How has the work of a philosopher influenced your ethical views?
What are the strengths and weaknesses of a philosopher’s ethical arguments?
Do you agree or disagree with a philosopher’s view on ethics? Why?
What would be a counterargument to a philosopher’s ethical position?
What are the most important takeaways from a philosopher’s work on ethics?
Are all philosophers ethically consistent in their arguments?
How has your reading of a philosopher’s work changed your view on ethics?
What criticisms can you level at a philosopher’s ethical views?
Do all philosophers’ ethical views have value? Why or why not?
What are the ethical implications of a philosopher’s work?

Ethics Essay Topics About History

Pick a massacre in history and discuss the ethical logistics that led up to it.
Research a historical event and discuss how the victors wrote history with their own ethical biases.
Was it ethical for Christopher Columbus to sail to the Americas?
Was it ethical for the Europeans to colonize the Americas?
Was it ethical for the slave trade to exist?
Was it ethical for the United States to annex Hawaii?
Was it ethical for the United States to bomb Hiroshima and Nagasaki?
Research a genocidal event in history and discuss the flawed ethics that caused it.
How have ethics changed since the beginning of human civilization?
Have ethical values always been the same, or have they changed over time?
Is there a universal morality, or is morality culturally dependent?
Discuss the following quote: “Those who are unable to recall the past are doomed to repeat it.”
How have ethics been used throughout history to justify atrocities?
How can studying history help us make better ethical decisions in the present?
What lessons can we learn from history about making ethical choices?
What are some of the most unethical events in history?
How can we learn from history to ensure that we don’t repeat unethical choices?
What are some of the most ethical events in history?

Ethics Essay Topics About Science

Are there scientific frontiers that we should avoid for ethical reasons?
How has a lack of ethics during certain periods in history led to advances in science?
How have ethical considerations held back scientific progress?
Is it ethical to use animals in scientific experimentation?
Is it ethical to use humans in scientific experimentation?
How should we deal with the disposal of hazardous waste?
Is it ethical to freeze embryos for future use?

Ethics Essay Topics About Education

Is the way ethics is taught in schools effective?
How could the way ethics is taught in schools be improved?
What are some of the most common ethical problems that students face?
How can we make sure that students learn about ethics?
What are some of the most important things students should learn about ethics?
What are some of the most common ethical dilemmas that teachers face?
How can we make sure that teachers are teaching ethics effectively?
What are some of the most important things teachers should teach about ethics?

Ethics Essay Topics About Medicine

Is it ethical to require vaccine mandates?
Is it ethical to ration health care?
Is it ethical to withhold medical treatment from prisoners?
Is it ethical to use placebos in clinical trials?
Is it ethical to use human organs for transplantation?
Should physicians be allowed to refuse to treat patients on religious grounds?
Should physician-assisted suicide be legal?
Is it ethical to use stem cells from embryos in research?
Is it ethical to use genetic engineering to create “designer babies”?
Is there such a thing as an “ethical” abortion?
Is it ever ethically permissible to end a life when the person is suffering from a terminal illness?
Is it ever ethically permissible to end a life when the person is in a vegetative state?
Explain how physicians maintain their codes of ethics in the face of difficult decisions.
What are some of the most common ethical issues that physicians face?
How can we make sure that physicians uphold their ethical codes?

Ethics Essay Topics About Honor

Are ethics and honor the same idea?
How have ethical considerations affected the way we think about honor?
Is it ever ethical to lie for the sake of honor?
Is it ever ethical to cheat for the sake of honor?
Is it ever ethical to steal for the sake of honor?
Is it ever ethical to kill for the sake of honor?
Discuss a famous person considered honorable but proven to have made ethically questionable choices.
Is honor more important than ethics?
How can we make sure that people uphold their codes of honor?

Ethics Essay Topics About Social Issues

Is it ethical to ban breastfeeding in public?
Is male circumcision ethical?
Is female circumcision ethical?
Is it ethical to require people to obtain a license to have children?
Should there be limits on the number of children people can have?
Is it ethical to sell organs on the black market?
How should we deal with illegal immigration?
Is it ethical to produce and sell tobacco products?
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Writing a persuasive essay requires identifying interesting ethical topics, and these options might inspire you to create a powerful and engaging essay, position paper , or speech for your next assignment.

Should Teens Have Plastic Surgery?

Good looks are highly prized in society. You can see advertisements everywhere urging you to buy products that will supposedly enhance your appearance. While many products are topical, plastic surgery is probably the ultimate game-changer. Going under the knife to enhance your looks can be a quick fix and help you achieve the look you desire. It also carries risks and can have lifelong consequences. Consider whether you think teens—who are still developing into mature individuals—should have the right to make such a big decision at such a young age, or if their parents should be able to decide for them.

Would You Tell If You Saw a Popular Kid Bullying?

Bullying is a big problem in schools and even in society in general. But it can be difficult to show courage, step up—and step in—if you see a popular kid bullying someone at school. Would you report it if you saw this happening? Why or why not?

Would You Speak Up If Your Friend Abused an Animal?

Animal abuse by youngsters can foreshadow more violent acts as these individuals grow up. Speaking up might save the animal pain and suffering today, and it might steer that person away from more violent acts in the future. But would you have the courage to do so? Why or why not?

Would You Tell If You Saw a Friend Cheating on a Test?

Courage can come in subtle forms, and that can include reporting seeing someone cheat on a test. Cheating on a test might not seem like such a big deal; perhaps you've cheated on a test yourself. But it is against the policies of schools and universities worldwide. If you saw someone cheating, would you speak up and tell the teacher? What if it were your buddy cheating and telling might cost you a friendship? Explain your stance.

Should News Stories Slant Toward What People Want to Hear?

There is much debate over whether the news should be unbiased or allow commentary. Newspapers, radios, and news television stations are businesses, just as much as a grocery store or online retailers. They need customers to survive, and that means appealing to what their customers want to hear or see. Slanting reports toward popular opinions could increase ratings and readership, in turn saving newspapers and news shows, as well as jobs. But is this practice ethical? What do you think?

Would You Tell If Your Best Friend Had a Drink at the Prom?

Most schools have strict rules about drinking at the prom, but many students still engage in the practice. After all, they'll be graduating soon. If you saw a friend imbibing, would you tell or look the other way? Why?

Should Football Coaches Be Paid More Than Professors?

Football often brings in more money than any other single activity or program a school offers, including academic classes. In the corporate world, if a business is profitable, the CEO and those who contributed to the success are often rewarded handsomely. With that in mind, shouldn't it be the same in academia? Should top football coaches get paid more than top professors? Why or why not?

Should Politics and Church Be Separate?

Candidates often invoke religion when they're campaigning. It's generally a good way to attract votes. But should the practice be discouraged? The U.S. Constitution, after all, dictates that there should be a separation of church and state in this country. What do you think and why?

Would You Speak Up If You Heard an Ugly Ethnic Statement at a Party Filled With Popular Kids?

As in the previous examples, it can be hard to speak up, especially when an incident involves popular kids. Would you have the courage to say something and risk the ire of the "in" crowd? Who would you tell?

Should Assisted Suicides Be Allowed for Terminally Ill Patients?

Some countries, like the Netherlands, allow assisted suicides , as do some U.S. states. Should "mercy killing" be legal for terminally ill patients who are suffering from great physical pain? What about patients whose diseases will negatively impact their families? Why or why not?

Should a Student's Ethnicity Be a Consideration for College Acceptance?

There has been a long-standing debate about the role ethnicity should play in college acceptance. Proponents of affirmative action argue that underrepresented groups should be given a leg up. Opponents say that all college candidates should be judged on their merits alone. What do you think and why?

Should Companies Gather Information About Their Customers?

Information privacy is a big and growing issue. Every time you log onto the internet and visit an online retailer, news company, or social media site, companies gather information about you. Should they have the right to do so, or should the practice be banned? Why do you think so? Explain your answer.

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18 Moral Dilemma Examples

Dave Cornell (PhD)

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A moral dilemma is a situation in which an individual must choose between two moral options. Each option has advantages and disadvantages that contain significant consequences.

Choosing one option means violating the ethical considerations of the other option. So, no matter which option is selected, it both upholds and violates at least one moral principle.

When moral dilemmas are discussed formally, the individual that must make the decision is referred to as the agent .

Moral Dilemma Features

McConnell (2022) identifies the crucial features of a moral or ethical dilemma :

The agent (person) is required to do one of two moral options
The agent (person) is capable of doing each one
The agent (person) cannot do both

McConnell explains that the agent should choose option A, but at the same time, the agent should choose option B. All things considered, both options are equivalently positive and negative, but in different aspects.

Thus, no matter which option is chosen, it will result in a moral failure.

Types of Moral Dilemmas

Epistemic: This type of moral dilemma is when the person has no idea which option is the most morally acceptable. Although in many moral dilemmas it can be somewhat clear which option should take precedence, in the epistemic moral dilemma , the matter is ambiguous.
Ontological: This is a moral dilemma in which the options available are equal in every respect. The person knows and has a clear understanding that both options are equivalent. Most experts on morality agree that ontological moral dilemmas are genuine dilemmas.
Self-imposed: This is the type of moral dilemma that the person has created themselves. They have engaged in a wrongdoing of some kind and are then faced with resolving the matter.
World-imposed: When the moral dilemma is brought about by others and the person must resolve the matter, it is referred to as a world-imposed moral dilemma, and is also often an example of a social dilemma . The person is in the situation, but not due to any wrongdoing or mistake they are responsible for.
Obligation : Some moral dilemmas involve options in which the person feels they must enact each one. It is a sense of responsibility to engage both options that creates the moral dilemma. The tension arises because they can only choose one, but they are obligated to do both.
Prohibition: A moral dilemma in which each option is reprehensible is called a prohibition dilemma . Each option would normally not be considered due to its unethical nature. However, the person must choose.

Moral Dilemma Examples

1. Exposing Your Best Friend: The person (aka the ‘agent’) is in a supervisory position but recently discovered that his best friend has been faking the numbers on several sales reports to boost his commissions.

Type: This is a self-imposed moral dilemma . The person has not done any wrongdoing, but they are in the position to decide whether to expose their friend’s unethical behavior .

2. Tricking a Loved One with Alzheimer’s: In this scenario, a loved one has been placed in a special residential center, which is expensive. Their children don’t have the funds to pay, but the loved one does. Unfortunately, the only way to access those funds is to trick the loved one into revealing their bank account information.

Type: This seems to be an obligation moral dilemma . The person feels they must take care of their loved one’s expenses, but they also feel a duty to respect their loved one’s autonomy and not deceive them.

3. Cheating on a Boyfriend: The person/agent cheated on their boyfriend while at a conference, which occurred right after a huge fight where they both said they wanted to break up. However, now that they’re back together, the question becomes: should the boyfriend be told?

Type: This is a self-imposed moral dilemma , as the person’s actions led to the situation where they must decide whether to confess their infidelity.

4. Selling a Used Car: The person has two close friends. One is considering buying a car from the other. They know the car has a serious problem with the engine, but their friend is not disclosing it.

Type: This can be seen as an ontological moral dilemma , as the person must choose between two equivalent actions: betraying the trust of one friend by revealing the car’s problems or betraying the trust of the other friend by staying silent.

5. Recalling a Faulty Product: The CEO of a large corporation has been informed that one of their products causes cancer in lab rats. The mortality rate is low and the company has spent millions on R&D and marketing. Recalling the product could mean bankruptcy and thousands of lost jobs.

Type: This could be a world-imposed moral dilemma as the person/agent didn’t personally contribute to the faulty product but must decide whether to recall the product or risk public health.

6. Global Supply Chains: The BOD knows that the rare Earth minerals they need for their electronics products are being mined by children. Not using that source means the company would be required to raise the price of its products considerably. And that means competitors will win huge market share.

Type: This is an obligation dilemma . The person feels obligated to both keep their products affordable (and their company competitive) and to avoid supporting unethical labor practices.

7. Admitting a Mistake: The person only analyzes part of the data involved in a pharmaceutical study so that the medication looks effective. A year later, the BOD is charged with a crime because the government learned that the medication causes a severe health issue in users.

Type: This is a self-imposed dilemma because the agent’s decision to only analyze part of the data led to the current situation.

8. In Child Protection Services: The ‘agent’ in this dilemma is a case worker. They know that charges against a parent were fabricated by a vengeful ex, but yet the rules state that charges must be filed and the children removed from the household, most likely for several months until a full investigation has been completed.

Type: This could be an epistemic dilemma because the person doesn’t know which action – following the protocol or not filing charges knowing they were fabricated – is the most morally correct.

9. Playground Accident at School: The agent’s co-teacher was looking at their phone on the playground when one of the students under their supervision fell off the equipment and broke their arm. If the person tells the truth, the co-teacher, who is supporting three children as a single parent, will be fired.

Type: This could be seen as an ontological dilemma , as the person must choose between two equally significant outcomes: telling the truth and potentially causing their co-teacher to lose their job, or staying silent and potentially putting the school and other students at risk.

10. In Geo-Politics: The president of a company knows that they are dependent on doing business with another country that has severe human rights violations. If they move out of that market it will mean huge losses. If they stay, it means putting money in the pockets of people that commit crimes against humanity.

Type: This might be classified as a prohibition dilemma , as both options – supporting a regime that violates human rights or causing significant financial loss to the company and its stakeholders – are morally objectionable.

11. Conflict of Professional Ethics: Imagine a journalist finds sensitive but vital information about a potential major scandal involving a beloved public figure who happens also to be the journalist’s dear friend.

Type: This represents a self-imposed dilemma , as the journalist must reconcile their professional obligation with their personal relationship.

12. Prioritizing Elder Care: Imagine a working individual struggling to balance work responsibilities with eldercare. On one hand, they want to provide proper care for their elderly parent but on the other hand, they fear losing their job.

Type: This could be classified as an obligation dilemma , as the individual is torn between two significant responsibilities.

13. Intellectual Property Misuse: A computer engineer discovers their colleague is misusing intellectual property from a previous employer to boost productivity at the current firm.

Type: This scenario represents an ontological moral dilemma , where the engineer must choose between reporting their colleague and protecting the workplace.

14. Revealing Confidential Information: An employee learns that their company’s financial health is more severe than communicated publicly. They fear that if they don’t warn their co-workers, they all risk losing their jobs without prior notice.

Type: This could be seen as a world-imposed moral dilemma , as the employee had no hand in creating the financial instability but must decide how to handle the information.

15. Exploitative Marketing: A marketing manager at a fast-food company is asked to develop campaigns targeting low-income neighborhoods, where obesity rates are already high.

Type: This represents an obligation dilemma , as the manager is expected to fulfill their job duty while battling against contributing to societies’ health problem.

16. Academic Dishonesty: A student discovers their friend plagiarizing an entire assignment. On one hand, they feel they should report the violation, but they also fear losing their friend.

Type: This is a self-imposed dilemma as the student’s action led to the situation where they must decide whether to uphold academic integrity or maintain their friendship.

17. Unethical Labor Practices: A manufacturing company explicitly doesn’t use sweatshop labor. It’s discovered that their major supplier uses such practices.

Type: This is an obligation dilemma , as the company feels a responsibility to its reputation and ethical standards, but severing ties with the major supplier could risk business operations.

18. Business Versus Environment: A construction company discovers an endangered species habitat in an area planned for building a lucrative housing project.

Type: This is an epistemic dilemma , as the company has to choose between its economic interests and environmental responsibilities not knowing which is the morally correct decision.

Applications of Moral Dilemmas

1. in nursing .

According to Arries (2005), among all of the professionals in healthcare, nurses have the most frequent interactions with patients.

As a result, they confront moral dilemmas on a regular basis, and often experience severe emotional distress.

They often must balance obligations regarding professional duties and personal convictions involving their values and beliefs.

In fact, nurses face a wide range of moral dilemmas. Rainer et al. (2018) conducted an integrative review of published research from 2000 – 2017 which dealt with ethical dilemmas faced by nurses.

The review identified several main categories or moral dilemmas: end-of-life issues, conflicts with physicians, conflicts with patient family members, patient privacy matters, and organizational constraints.

In a meta-analysis of nine studies in four countries, de Casterlé et al. (2008) examined the moral reasoning of nurses based on Kohlberg’s (1971) theory of moral development.

The study used an adapted version of the Ethical Behaviour Test (EBT) to measure nurses’ moral reasoning as it applies to practical nursing scenarios (de Casterle´ et al. 1997).

The results suggested that nurses tended to function at a conventional level of moral reasoning, rather than at a higher, postconventional level in Kohlberg’s stages.

2. In Journalism

Many people that enter the field of journalism do so out of noble goals to promote truth, help the public stay informed, and reveal unethical practices in society.

The very nature of those goals leads to journalists being immersed in moral dilemmas stemming from a variety of issues.

Sources Journalists must gather information from sources that can be reluctant to reveal their identity. This presents the moral dilemma of somehow establishing credibility for one’s information, but at the same time protecting the rights and wishes of an anonymous source.

Victim’s Rights Protecting victims’ rights to privacy can be in direct conflict with the public’s right to know. This produces an ethical quandary that nearly every journalist will face in their career. This can be particularly tricky when dealing with public figures, elected officials, or children.

Conflicts of Interest Conflicts of interest come into play in journalism in several situations. Journalists are supposed to be impartial and cover stories fairly and objectively. However, conflicts of interest can emerge when the story might impact an advertiser negatively or reflect poorly on the company’s ownership.

Accuracy Particularly troublesome in the era of new media news is the moral dilemma regarding the accuracy of information presented in coverage. On the one hand, journalists are obligated to provide the audience with information that is valid. That takes time. On the other hand, being first has always been a priority in the journalism profession. Accuracy is tied directly to credibility, but at the same time, being second to go public with news tarnishes the agency’s reputation.

Credibility Deuze and Yeshua (2001) point out that one core moral dilemma in journalism centers on how to establish credibility in the age of social media and the lightning speed of the Internet. New media journalists struggle to establish credibility in an environment crowded with gossip, amateur journalists, and fake news (Singer, 1996).

3. In Business

There are no shortage of moral dilemmas in the business world, no matter how large or small the company (Shaw & Barry, 2015).

A small sample of ethical issues are described below.

Product Quality vs. Profit Nearly every item made can be produced to a higher standard. That is not the problem. The problem is that those higher standards usually entail higher costs. So, the tradeoff becomes an issue of competing priorities : product quality or product profitability.

Outsourcing Labor This seems to be a decision that a lot of US corporations have already completed. Offshoring labor is usually cheaper. But, it comes at a cost to the homeland. Fewer jobs means a weaker economy and possibly an array of psychosocial dysfunctions. If you ask the various BODs however, they will tell you that they have to honor their fiduciary obligation to make the most profit for the company they run. Often, that means offshoring jobs.

Employee Social Media Behavior On the one hand, what people do in their personal time is supposed to be just that, personal. On the other hand, each employee represents the company and if they engage in behavior online that reflects poorly on the company, then that can justify terminating their contract.

Honest Marketing It can be easy to stretch the truth a little bit to make a product or service look its best. How far to stretch that line is where the moral dilemma forms. In cases that are basically inconsequential, like foods and such, a little gloss is relatively harmless. However, when it comes to products that are consequential such as pharmaceuticals and insurance policies, the moral dilemma is so serious that the government has legislated marketing rules and regulations that must be strictly followed.

Labor Practices Many countries have strict laws about labor practices that involve child labor and working conditions. But, many countries do not. Some of the labor practices in those countries are absolutely shocking. Companies in industrialized countries such as in the EU are supposed to monitor their supply chains carefully. They can be held accountable if found in violation of their home country’s regulations. The moral dilemma occurs when the company feels it must turn a blind-eye to circumstances if it wants to stay in business.

Environmental Protection So many companies today are aware of their environmental footprint. They must make a calculated decision as to how much environmental damage they can accept in balance with expectations of their customers and damage to the environment. That balance is getting harder to ignore as societies become more environmentally conscious and social media increasingly powerful.

A moral dilemma is when an individual, referred to as an agent , is confronted with a situation in which they must choose between two or more moral options.

Unfortunately, each option has its own ramifications that make the choice between one or the other difficult.

Moral dilemmas are prevalent in our personal and professional lives. Several professions are especially rife with moral dilemmas. For instance, those in the healthcare industry must make decisions that can have life-and-death consequences.

Journalists must grapple with a range of moral dilemmas that involve establishing credibility of their content, verifying the accuracy of their information, plus issues of impartiality.

Business leaders today also cannot escape moral dilemmas. They must make decisions that impact employees, customers, and unseen individuals that work throughout fast supply chains.

As the world has become so interconnected, it seems that the number and severity of moral dilemmas continues to grow.

Arries, E. (2005). Virtue ethics: An approach to moral dilemmas in nursing. Curationis , 28 (3), 64-72.

de Casterlé, B. D., Grypdonck, M., & Vuylsteke-Wauters, M. (1997). Development, reliability, and validity testing of the Ethical Behavior Test: a measure for nurses’ ethical behavior. Journal of Nursing Measurement , 5 (1), 87-112.

de Casterlé, B., Roelens, A., & Gastmans, C. (1998). An adjusted version of Kohlberg’s moral theory: Discussion of its validity for research in nursing ethics. Journal of Advanced Nursing , 27 (4), 829-835.

de Casterlé, B. D., Izumi, S., Godfrey, N. S., & Denhaerynck, K. (2008). Nurses’ responses to ethical dilemmas in nursing practice: meta‐analysis. Journal of Advanced Nursing , 63 (6), 540-549.

Deuze, M., & Yeshua, D. (2001). Online journalists face new ethical dilemmas: Lessons from the Netherlands. Journal of Mass Media Ethics , 16 (4), 273-292.

Kohlberg, L. (1971). Stages of moral development. Moral Education , 1 (51), 23-92.

McConnell, T. (2022 Fall edition). Moral Dilemmas. In Edward N. Zalta & Uri Nodelman (Eds.). The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Archived at https://plato.stanford.edu/archives/fall2022/entries/moral-dilemmas/

Rainer, J., Schneider, J. K., & Lorenz, R. A. (2018). Ethical dilemmas in nursing: An integrative review. Journal of Clinical Nursing, 27 (19-20), 3446–3461. https://doi.org/10.1111/jocn.14542

Sainsbury, M. (2009). Moral dilemmas. Think, 8 , 57 – 63. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1477175609000086

Shaw, W. H., & Barry, V. (2015). Moral issues in business . Cengage Learning.

Singer, J. B. (1996). Virtual anonymity: Online accountability and the virtuous virtual journalist. Journal of Mass Media Ethics, 11 , 95–106

Strauß, N. (2022). Covering sustainable finance: Role perceptions, journalistic practices and moral dilemmas. Journalism , 23 (6), 1194-1212.

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Apple Inc.: The Ethical Dilemmas Unfortunately, Apple falls short of effective ethical principles since there are some areas that need immediate attention.
Ethics, Metaphysics, and Epistemology in Philosophy Philosophy is the knowledge and understanding of the primary causes and beginnings of all things. It aims to create a picture of the world by rational means of mental activity.
Ethics, Truth, and Reason in Eight Theories of Ethics by Graham The concept of morality has always been considered subjective, as there are no specific rules regarding truth or falsehood in ethical considerations.
Ethical Decision-Making Process Three frameworks have been developed to guide people whenever engaging in the ethical decision-making processes.
Honda Company’s Defective Airbags and Ethical Issues In 2015, Honda Company was fined for failing to respond to safety issues that affected its cars, which were fitted with defective airbags.
Aristotle Theory About Euthanasia – Ethics The paper explains the virtue theory from an Aristotelian perspective and demonstrates how virtuous doctors can use the theory to judge euthanasia patients.
Business Ethics and Dilemmas in the Film ‘Michael Clayton’ The movie “Michael Clayton” addresses a wide range of ethical issues faced by corporations and advocates. One of the ethical issues addressed entails the impacts of capitalism on morality.
Nike’s Example of Business Ethics Good and admirable business ethics should be observed in every business, some businesses have been fined for not following their intended business ethics.
Aristotle and Virtue Ethics Aristotle holds that virtues originate from actions that human beings perform because one can either be a good or bad person based on actions.
Warren Buffet and Bernie Madoff Ethics Case Analysis The major aspect of financial relationships is trust, yet Madoff’s case demonstrates that even an investor with a solid reputation can deceive their clients and betray their faith.
The Poverty as an Ethical Issue Looking at poverty as an ethical issue, we have to consider the fact that there are people who control resource distribution, which then leads to wealth or poverty in a community.
Nestlé Animal Testing and Business Ethics Business organizations should embrace the best ethical practices. The essay gives a detailed analysis of the ethical issues arising from Nestle’s animal testing practices.
Samsung and Child Labor: Business Ethics Case To make sure that no factory exploits child labor, Samsung claims to have compelled all the factories to install a hi-tech facial detection device.
Ethical Behavior: Human Strengths and Weaknesses Good people could do mischievous things for several reasons. For instance, when in dilemma and a person in authority asks them to do otherwise.
Theories of Ethics: Consequentialism and Ethical Relativism The ethical relativism and consequentialism schools of thought highlight the basis upon which decisions can be made when face with ethical dilemmas that require moral solutions.
Martha Stewart: The Ethical and Legal Challenges With Respect to ImClone Shares The case of Martha Stewart heated different talks about corporate ethics and ethical decisions made by a CEO and his/her responsibility before stockholders.
Online Counseling: Ethical and Legal Issues This paper discusses the ethical and legal issues associated with online or technology-assisted counseling and advises how to address the issues of online counseling.
BCBA Interview: Ethical Dilemmas and Cultural Challenges Identifying one’s biases towards other cultures and receiving training about handling a diverse client base may assist an ABA expert in becoming more culturally competent.
Journalistic Ethics in the Digital Age Journalism ethics is gaining importance in the new media environment, which is characterized by the absence of national borders.
Ethics vs. The Law: Main Conflicts Ethics is a philosophical branch that defines what is right and what is wrong concerning the actions of people, as well as the decisions they make.
Ethical Considerations of Coca-Cola Company The paper discusses why Coca-Cola has had multiple ethical problems over the last decade and what the company can do to recover its reputation.
Police Professionalism and Ethics of Policing Accountability must persist given the discriminatory patterns among officers, who should be allowed room to improve as long as their good faith can be observed.
Computer Ethics and Data Protection The article provides a definition of computer ethics, as well as evaluates its importance for protecting data from malicious acts.
Comparison of Three Codes of Ethics The process of designing the professional codes of ethics is being increasing affected by a number of clearly pragmatist considerations, on the part of those entrusted with the task.
Courage vs. Recklessness: Morality and Ethics This paper addresses the commonalities and opposite features of courage and recklessness, analyzing them in the context of morality and ethics.
Hospitality Industry: The Role of Ethics Ethics and ethical behavior are important in the hospitality industry. The industry involves interactions of people from different backgrounds and varied intentions.
Examples of Ethical and Unethical Leadership in History One of the most relevant areas in modern social sciences has become theoretical and practical research into the phenomenon of leadership.
Ethical Frameworks and Their Main Categories The most important ethical frameworks, together with the philosophers who have contributed to their development, will be the subject of discussion in this paper.
Deontological Ethics and Principles for Parenting Deontology is an ethical science based on the teaching of moral issues. The focus of deontological ethics is on duties and obligations to be followed.
The Professional Codes of Ethics Professional ethics underlies all other aspects of professional activity since the morality of a professional group is an integral part of the morality of society.
Wirecard Ethical Case: Summary and Analysis The Wirecard ethical case involved the arrest of the company’s former CEO, who embezzled more than two billion dollars from the German company.
Ethics. “The Responsible Administrator” by Cooper The paper focuses on the integration of the four components of responsible conduct to fully integrate and implement both the internal and the external controls.
Ethics in the Modern Society Ethics was never exhaustively defined, the philosophers in all the times tried to give a clear definition to this concept and no one managed to give the universal wording.
Deontological and Consequential Ethical Conflict The case under discussion provides a moral dilemma when adhering to the rules contradicts the desire to do someone good.
Nursing Ethics in “Invisible Patients” Documentary Invisible Patients is a documentary that describes the work of a nurse practitioner who helps the most vulnerable patients to live and struggle with their illnesses.
Political, Legal, and Ethical Issues in Business Businesses, politics, legality, and ethics are interconnected phenomena. The existing political, legal, and ethical issues impact companies’ business operations differently.
Ethical Theories in Law Enforcement Practice The paper provided an overview of four of ethical theories – the Ethics of Virtue, Ethical Formalism, Consequentialism, and Ethics of Care.
Ethics of Removal of Children From Their Home This paper investigates the causes behind the ethical issue of removing children from their homes and ongoing protocols.
Grimshaw vs. Ford Motor Company: Ethical Analysis Grimshaw’s case is an eye-opener to all the manufacturers who want to disregard their ethical responsibilities as regards defects in the design of their product.
The Trolley Problem and Ethical Theories Moral dilemmas and questions are something that individuals face daily. In cases with a clear answer, most people will follow their code of ethics without giving it much thought.
The Boeing-737 Ethical Problems and Solutions The key focus of the given paper will be the Boeing – 737 MAX-8 Jet death crashes. Shortcomings in the company’s internal policies and lessons learned are illustrated.
Ethical Analysis of the Awakenings Film The Awakenings movie focuses on Dr. Oliver Sacks’ work treating people with catatonia, a disorder marked by excessive stiffness and a lack of responsiveness to stimuli.
Similarities and Differences Between HIPAA, APA, and Ethics There are various similarities and differences between the HIPAA privacy rule, the codes of ethics of APA, and personal ethics, as illustrated in the paper.
Ethics of Hacking and Cracking Hacking is a technical term that refers to an attempt to successfully gain unauthorized access to a computer website.
Ethical Dilemmas in Social Work Practice The society being the centerpiece of a civilization must have its own regulations and standards that create order and stability, governed by morals and obligations.
Social Media Influence, Ethics, and Privacy Issues Social media remains one of the dominant internet services, which offers a new interactive opportunity: for political support, humanitarian aid, group activities, etc.
The Importance of Medical Ethics Medical ethics are important because they allow them to choose their preferred treatment methods and guarantee their privacy and safety during treatment.
Computer Ethics and Privacy Computer ethics involves ways upon which ethical traditions as well as customs are tested. Computers brought about enhanced power of communication together with data manipulation.
Ethical Lens Inventory: Personal Ethical Principles and Values Eligion probably instilled in me the tendency to overemphasize right and wrong and this may have made me too over-reliant on such an ethical system.
Ethical, Legal, Multicultural Challenges in Crisis A crisis that is not properly managed draws negative ideas or perceptions from different stakeholders such as community members, government officials, employees, suppliers.
Teleological and Deontological Ethical Models For centuries modern philosophy has been discussing the possibility of applying two models or approaches to the problem of ethics.
Sears Auto Centers Case on Ethical Issues This paper aims to discuss the Sears Auto Case, define the ethical issues, and recommend changes to be made to regain customer trust.
Comparison of Utilitarianism and Christian Ethics This paper will present a detailed analysis of utilitarianism theory and contrast it with a Christian ethic to explain why the latter is stronger in addressing the issue of suicide.
Nightingale Pledge: Medical Ethics Perspectives The Nightingale pledge was developed as an oath students graduating from the Farrand Training School for Nurses. The pledge was created in 1893 and revised in 1935 to improve its scope.
Netflix: The Ethical Standards Netflix is ideally suited to the requirements of modern society, meeting moral and ethical expectations. One of the main advantages is maintaining an impeccable reputation.
Ethical and Professional Issues in Psychological Testing Within the scope of the question of voluntary participation, it is difficult to reason when tests are taken by people who are under care because of their mental state.
Anand Vaidya on Ethical Theory in Business This essay will argue that Anand Vaidya’s statement that ethical theory in business should not be considered indeterminate and unintelligible, is fundamentally flawed.
Blue Bell Ethical Dilemma Case The Blue Bell ethical case was challenging as the president faced difficult choices since the company was top-selling in the ice cream industry.
Ethical, Political and Social Issues in Business in “The Corporation” Movie “The Corporation” is a documentary film released in 2003 that raises the public’s attention to significant problems in the corporate sphere.
Ethical Responsibilities to Children The article argues laws regarding equality and non-discrimination can help child care and education professionals act ethically.
Ethical Issues in the Criminal Justice System Criminal justice practitioners and organizations face various ethical issues in the contemporary world, for example, excessive force.
Wells Fargo Applies Ethical Decision-Making Model Organizations must understand and apply established ethical decision-making models and recognize their ethics codes to improve outcomes.
Ethical Considerations in “Little White Lie” by Mandefro Little White Lie is a masterpiece story about family issues that depicts rising youth when an identity is significantly characterized by others.
Business Ethics: Abercrombie & Fitch Company Case Abercrombie & Fitch strived to maintain the image of the white American authenticity. This forced the company to employ most whites in positions of the public service and influence.
Ethical Theories for Decision-Making There are several ethical theories that provide guidelines that should be followed in the process of decision-making, such as utilitarianism, casuist, right, and deontology.
Alcohol Drinking and Ethical Decision-Making People should be prepared to make sacrifices and account for their actions if they expect good results since all good things cost heavily.
Human Trafficking and Ethical Behavior Breaches Ethical theories such as deontology and utilitarianism guide human beings to condone specific actions such as human trafficking because they are unacceptable.
Health Promotion and Ethical Considerations Sometimes a nurse might wish to manipulate a patient’s fears to achieve the goal. However, it is not appropriate to use manipulation, even for the benefit of a patient.
Using Smartphones in Healthcare: Ethical Issues The common use of smartphones to share healthcare data is associated with several security and privacy issues.
Globalization and Its Ethical Implications The paper states that the negative implications of globalization result in ethical dilemmas as people with diverse backgrounds participate in world development.
Personal Ethical Dilemma: Adidas Case Study Business ethics considers ethical and moral principles in the context of the business environment and governs the actions and behavior of individuals in an organization.
Theories in Ethics and Criminal Justice The distinction between superior cognitive and lower physiological sensations is the first defining aspect of Mill’s utilitarianism.
Biomedical Ethics: Pfizer’s Legal Trouble in Nigeria The discussion focuses more on the basic principles to apply when making ethically sound medical decisions namely; respect for autonomy, justice, non-maleficence, and beneficence.
The Trolley Problem Scenarios & Ethical Dilemmas When faced with trolley problem scenarios, one’s decision will be significantly influenced by the ethical theory of utilitarianism.
Ethical Relativism Regarding Queer (LGBTQ+) Community Ethical relativism does not always support tolerance toward minorities, such as the LGBTQ+ community, since it depends on the either personal or societal approach.
Ethical Responsibilities of Scientists Undoubtedly, scientists are responsible for their inventions, and they should understand that their achievements may be both beneficial and harmful to humanity.
Ethical Implications of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace The paper will analyze the ethical implications of sexual harassment in the workplace because employees’ behavior reflects a company’s values.
Ethical and Policy Factors in Care Coordination This paper explores ethics in practicing health care in nursing homes and policy issues that affect care coordination in these facilities.
Ethics in Nursing Overview and Analysis Nursing ethics are truly essential in making the right, responsible and literate decisions, and professional development.
Aristotle’s Teleological Understanding of Ethics as Virtue in Modern Society The described reasoning concerning Aristotle’s teleological understanding of ethics can be seen as a sensible platform for decision-making in the modern context.
Uber Company’s Ethical Business Practices The paper examines Uber business practices and provides a report on the ethical conduct of former CEO Travis Kalanick in his daily work activities.
McDonald’s Company: Business Ethics Case McDonald’s provides exhaustive information about the amount of nutrients in every product. The company washes its hands of any accusations in failing to perform its obligations to customers.
Navigating Ethical Considerations in Research Ethical considerations are crucial in research because they enable trust between the researcher and participants, ensuring the safety and confidentiality of stakeholders.
The Boeing Firm’s Ethical Dilemma Regarding the Airbus-Neo The Boeing 737-MAX airplane model was revealed nine months after the Airbus-NEO design. After the sales of the new model, two planes crashed in 2018 and 2019.
Medication Errors: Legal and Ethical Issues in Nursing The nursing profession should underscore the impact of medication errors and train all stakeholders as a means of eliminating the frailty.
Ethical Issues: Decision-Making Process in Medical Setting Consequence-oriented decision-making and duty-oriented decision-making are two main types of choices, in a medical setting, that one would have regarding ethical issues.
Ethics and Globalization in Business A business will only manage to keep up its reputation if it recognizes the established business ethics in its environment. Every firm must follow to the letter the code of conduct.
Bidco Oil Refinery Ltd.’s Performance and Ethics The paper analyzes Bidco Oil Refinery Limited, its mission and vision, financial performance, potential acquisition, employees’ motivation, and ethical behavior.
Ethical Approaches in Career Choice This paper discusses some of the ethical choices that a people should consider when deciding their occupations.
History of Assessment and Ethical Issues – Psychology Personality assessment involves the study of the characteristics which constitute the social, behavioral, emotional, and cognitive functioning.
Euthanasia Through an Egoism Ethical Theory Lens The paper states that it is possible to justify the factors contributing to the desire for euthanasia through the ethical theory of selfishness.
Ethical Analysis of the Bakun Dam Project The ethical analysis of the Bakun Dam Project, which began to mitigate the rising electricity demand, measures its advantages against disadvantages.
Medical Ethics: The Four Topics Model The four topics model can be applied to different medical cases to help nurses and clinicians make ethical decisions.
Ethical Aspects of Digital Privacy As digital technology develops and worldwide network is implemented and utilized in more and more fields of human life, digital privacy becomes a significant concern.
Ethical Dilemma of Patient’s Disease Awareness The ethical dilemma in the case study may be defined as a conflict between a professional algorithm and an ambiguous request from the patient’s family members.
Selflessness and Motivation for Ethical Behavior The paper examines how selflessness can be the solution to unethical behavior. Selflessness and motivation for ethical behavior are the key themes discussed.
Traditional Kantianism and Its Relation to Software Engineering Ethics The first and second principles of software engineering ethics represent the first formulation of the ethical theory of Kantianism as they call to act in the best interests.
Nursing and its Ethical Issues: End-of-Life Care This essay explores the question of end-of-life care by underscoring how nurses should handle the issue without breaking the law or becoming unethical in their practice.
Is There a Place for Ethics in IT? In this particular paper, we are going to reveal some of the ways the CIO would utilize in handling ethical issues of privacy and piracy as explained in the different Schrage’s scenarios.
Ethical Issues in Information Technology IT ethics may be defined as an analysis of the impact of information technology on the profession and society at large.
Data Security Enhancement and Business Ethics Data security is one of the key points of business success regardless of the company’s size and scope of activities.
Ethics in Winkler County Nurse Whistleblower Case This paper discusses concerns about ethics from a professional nursing organization and also examines the legal and ethical issues involved in the Winkler County case.
Deontology and Ethical Relativism in “The Founder” Film The essay aims to review the movie The Founder, starring Michael Keaton, from the perspective of ethical theories: deontology and ethical relativism.
The Christian Leadership, Stewardship, and Ethics Christian leaders realize that they have a great responsibility to lead people where God directs, and therefore they make every effort to follow Him in the first place.
Virtue Ethics and Education: Can We Teach Character? The ethics of virtue today is one of the three main approaches. It can be characterized as an approach that attaches particular importance to virtues and moral character.
The Ethical Considerations of the Rana Plaza Collapse The current paper investigates the ethical considerations, implications, and possible prevention strategies of the Rana Plaza collapse.
The Amazon Company’s Ethics in Advertising This paper discusses Amazon’s approach to customer data collection, the lack of transparency in data management, and the controversies surrounding Amazon’s use of monetization.
Legal and Ethical Issues in Health Care This paper clarifies several instances of legal and ethical issues in health care: organ donation, online psychotherapy, and artificial intelligence use.
A Discussion Board Post on Nursing Values and Ethics Medical practitioners, similarly, are expected to participate in activities and decision-making which enhance quality services to clients.
Christian’s Role in Ethical Research The essay examines the role of Christian ethics in developing and carrying out morally sound research because a study that does not meet standards might constitute misconduct.
Virtue Ethics: “Wrong Operation Doctor” as an Integrity Case The purpose of this paper is to discuss the integrity issue related to the case, analyze the possible role of criminal charges, and provide a reflection on the story.
Ethical Self-Assessment Ethics, and ethical theory as its part, is rather important for the development of partnership and cooperative relations between the human beings and organizations in the society.
Annotated Bibliography: Law Ethics This annotated bibliography focuses on a variety of sources on personal ethics issues that guide legal professionals and, in particular, lawyers.
Corporate Social Responsibility & Business Ethics Ethical and legal compliance of organizations are inseparable, and they provide significant advantages for businesses.
“Good Life” From an Ethical Perspective Aristotle said that “happiness” is the ultimate goal of all human life. This essay discusses some of the many conceptions of the “good life” from an ethical perspective.
Nurse Educator’s Legal and Ethical Implications This paper will examine the due process for students and new nurses concerning any practice deemed unsafe in the clinical setting.
Artificial Intelligence: Ethical, Social, Legal Issues The field of artificial intelligence indeed brings numerous ethical, social, professional and legal issues; but are those so disturbing as some people claim?
Kant’s Deontological Ethical Theory Immanuel Kant’ deontological ethics perceives morality as an inherent attribute of an action, which contrasts with teleological ethics that perceivethe morality from the consequences of actions.
Technical Writing Ethics
The Effect of Business Ethics on the Customer Service Sector
Ethical Issues Affecting Factory Farming
Philosopher Values & Ethics Template
The “Lifeboat Ethics” Article by Garret Hardin
Ethical Theories and Data Processing
Ethical Theories: Divine Command Theory
Rawls’ Social Contract Theory and Software Engineering Ethics
Contract Managers’ Code of Ethics in Acquisition
Art Conservation and Restoration as Ethical Issue
Ethical Concerns Related to Nursing Informatics
Ethical Considerations of Organ Conscription Policy
Applying Ethical Principles: Ethical Problems in Nursing Management
Ethical and Legal Issues in Healthcare Services
Review of the Essay “Lifeboat Ethics” by Garrett Hardin
Ethical Dilemmas in Education
Coca-Cola Company: Code of Ethics
Ethics of Violence Description and Analysis
Informative Speech: Importance of Ethical Awareness
Business Code Evaluation of Ethics by Shell Company
Business Ethics and Employees as Stakeholders
Environmental Ethical Issues: History, Current Events, and Significance
Plato’s and Aristotle’s Ideas of Ethics
Federal Express Corporation’s Ethical Perspective
Professional Ethics and Consequentialism
Ethical and Legal Issues in Nursing
BP Oil Company’s Ethical Leadership
The Choctaw Three: Criminal Ethics Case
The Yoga Ethics in a Student-Teacher Relationship
Ethics in The Great Gatsby by Fitzgerald
Seeking Promotion: The Ethical Use of Power, Influence, and Politics
Personal Ethical Framework – Decision-Making
Ethics Education in Daily Life
Ethical Challenges for the Finance Manager: Case Study
Artifacts and Their Ethical Values
Nursing Ethics: Reflection on the Survey
Ethical Decision-Making: Case Studies
The Teaching and Learning of Ethics
Ethical Issues in CCTV and Biometrics Technologies
Ethical Standards in the Westboro Baptist Church Case
Common-Law Method and Ethics
Business Ethics Concerns: State Farm Insurance Company
Common Law Method and Ethical Rules
Helping Others: Examining an Ethical Dilemma
Ethical and Legal Issues in Education
Issues of Biomedical Ethics in the Christian Narrative and Christian Vision
Social Worker’s Ethical Dilemma of Confidentiality
Corporate Governance and Business Ethics
Morality and Ethics Concepts
Case of the Killer Robot: Ethical and Legal Issues
1st and 4th Tenets in the Nursing Code of Ethics
Stem Cell Research Essay: Research Ethics, Pros and Cons, and Benefits
Personal Values in Ethically Ambiguous Situations
Personal and Professional Ethics in Psychology
Personal Values, Moral, and Ethics
Environmental Ethics in Oryx and Crake by Atwood
Human Resource Function and Ethical Decision-Making
Ethical Reasoning in the Boeing 737 Max Fraud
Ethical Considerations and Counseling Skills in Therapy
Nike Inc.’s Structure, Performance, and Ethics
Global Warming and Business Ethics
Ethical Issues in Health and Wellness Coaching
Kant’s Deontological Ethical Theory and Policing Ethical Practices
Ethical Issues in Hitler’s Leadership
Ethical Leadership Virtues Questionnaire
Ethical Use of Power, Influence, and Politics to Get a Promotion
Regulation, Accreditation, and Ethics in Health Care
Is Lying to Patients Against Medical Ethics?
Advertising Ethics and Truth: The Biblical Perspective
DNR Orders and Ethics in Medical Decision-Making
Ethical Issues in Medical Social Work
Personal Reflection on Christian Ethics and Spirituality
Ethical Issue in the Workplace: Case Study
Examples of Legal and Ethical Conduct
The Ethical Issues in Business
Primark Company Supplying Consumers with Ethically Sourced Garments
Ethical Decision Making in Nursing
Ethical Issues Involved in Software Project Management
Ethical Theories: Virtue Ethics, Deontology and Consequentialism
Honesty and Trust in Business Ethics
Reflective Journal. Nursing Ethics
Earthquake Resistant Building Technology & Ethics
Computer Ethics: Ethics, Laws, Definition & Privacy
“The Land Ethic” by Aldo Leopold
Human Trafficking: Ethical Issues
Protestant Work Ethic and the Spirit of Capitalism
Cloning Moral and Ethical Issues
Nonconsequential Theory of Ethics: Case Analysis
The Coca-Cola Company’s Ethical Communication Plan
The Ethical Policies of TechFite
Artificial Intelligence and Ethical Implications
Manager’s Changing Environment and Ethical Duties
Employee Monitoring, Its Legal and Ethical Issues
Nursing Malpractice: Legal and Ethical Implications
Artificial Technology’s Ethical, Social, Legal Issues
New Leadership Theories: Servant, Spiritual, Authentic and Ethical Leaderships
Revenge and Its Historical and Ethical Consequences
Doctors’ Ethics of ‘Cherry-Picking’ Patients
Understanding Ethics and How We Approach Ethical Decisions
Health Care Fraud, Abuse and Ethics
Terri Schiavo Medical Ethics Case
Organizational Ethical Dilemmas, as Portrayed in “Snowden”
Ethical and Legal Issues With CCTV and Video Analytics
A New Model for Ethical Leadership by Bazerman
Ethics, Morals, and Values in Healthcare
American Apparel: The Ethical Conflicts
Aspects of Pepsico and Utilitarian Ethics
Professional Platform for Ethics and Leadership
Enron Ethics and Organizational Culture
Online Counseling and Related Ethical Issues
Critique of Amartya Sen’s Position on Business Ethics
New Ethical Concerns in Online Privacy and Data Security
Ethical Dilemmas in Healthcare
Understanding General Medical Ethics Principles
Ethical Marketing: Sex Workers
Meaning of the Ethics and Ethical Problem
“A Fall from Grace”: Christian Ethics in the Motivations of the Characters
Business Ethics: The Case Study
Ethics of the Flixborough Chemical Plant Disaster
The Fast Fashion and Related Ethical Problems
Ethical Dilemma: Case Study of Harry and Dora
Counselor’s Professional and Ethical Responsibilities
Creating a Code of Ethics for a Business
Happiness in Aristotle’s “Nicomachean Ethics”
Volkswagen’s Diesel Fraud: Ethical Behaviour and Decision Making in the Workplace
Relativism and Its Relationship With Ethics
Principles of Ethical Practice of Public Health
“Business Ethics” Book by De George
Ethical Issues of Conducting a Program Evaluation
Nursing and Health Care Informatics Ethics and the Law
The Ethical Principles in Nursing Research
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration: Engineering Ethics
Maintaining Confidentiality and Ethical Guidelines
TOK Exhibition: The Ethical Responsibilities
Oncology Nurses’ Ethical and Legal Issues
Ethics in the Business World Based on Dilbert TV Series
Law and Medical Ethics: Euthanasia and Physician Assisted Death
Ethics and Popular Opinion in Socrates’ Philosophy
Ethical Principles: A Breach of Patient Confidentiality
Milgram Experiment: The Question of Ethics
Ethical Issues in Hiring Process
Ethics of For- & Non-Profit Healthcare Models
Nursing Profession Ethical Considerations: Qualitative Research Critique
Case Study of Biomedical Ethics in the Christian Narrative
Importance of Respect in the Army: Code of Ethics
Ayer’s Argument Against Ethical Objectivism
Business Ethics: Whistleblowing and Employee Loyalty
Environmental Issues and Ethics: The Questions
Commercial Fishing: Environmental Ethics Case Study
Managing Ethics: Methods and Results
Energy Saving Light Bulb Manufactures Ethical Issue
The Significance of the Ethical Pillars of Jainism
“Ethics of Emergencies” by Ayn Rand
Ethics in Target Marketing
Advertising Ethics: Truth in Commercials
Kant’s and Aristotle’s Ethical Philosophy
Biomedical Ethics and Christian Health Beliefs
“The Ethics of Belief” by William Clifford
Ethical Trade in the UK Garment Industry
Professionalism and Ethics in a Team
MG Rover Group’s Car Production and Business Ethics
Ethical Philosophy: Right and Wrong’s Distinction
Professional Ethics in Nursing Practice
Empress Luxury Lines Company’s Fraud and Ethics
German Business Culture and Ethical Norms
Ethical Leadership in the Non-Profit Sector
Research Ethics Specifics: Biomedical Research
Apple Inc.’s Corporate Strategy and Global Ethics
Virtue Ethics in Stanford and Milgram’s Experiments
The Ethics of Moving Jobs Overseas
Animal Research in Medical Studies and Ethics
Medical Treatment in Religious Beliefs and Ethics
Canada’s Oil Sands as Ethical Oil Sources
Ethical and Cultural Issues in Group Work
British Petroleum: Corruption Involving Ethics
Truth Concepts in Mathematics, the Arts and Ethics
Engineering Professionalism and Ethics
Exploring Moral and Ethical Themes in “Hills Like White Elephants” by Hemingway
The Amazon and Facebook Firms’ Business Ethics
Kantian Ethics Case Application
The Ethical Principle of Dual Relationships
Ethical Objectivism and Ethical Relativism
Ethical and Legal Issues in Older Adults Counselling
Ethics and Social Justice in Mental Health System
Emotional, Ethical, and Logical Arguments
Climate Change as an Ethical Issue
Leadership and Associated Ethical Challenges
Ethical Leadership and Social Learning Theory
The Ethical Repercussions Inflation Has Had on Businesses
Social Media: The Role of Cyber-Ethics
The J&J Firm’s Ethical and Socially Responsible Behavior
Ethics and the Right to Abortion
Ethics of Ending Life Support After Brain Death
Ethical Reasoning: Utilitarianism & Universal Ethics
Environmental Ethics and Spiritual Dimensions
Globalization and Technology Impacts on Ethics
Pharmaceutical Companies and Utilitarian Ethics
Kant and Mill: The Ethics of Lying
Solving Ethical Dilemma of Discrimination
Accusations of Breach of Code of Ethics: Memo
Mass Media Ethics in News Coverage
Ethics of Infidelity and Cheating in Relationships
Engineering Ethics: Creative Middle Ground Approach
Ethical and Bioethical Issues in Medicine
Computer Ethics: Information Technology Ethics
The CASW and the Aboriginal Code of Ethics
Kant’s Ethical Philosophy and Milgram’s Experiments
Fraud and Ethics in Managerial Accounting
Ethical Decision Problem: What Ought I to Do?
A Personal Code of Ethics
Ethics as a Social Science Field
Artificial Intelligence Bias and Ethical Algorithms
Ethics: What Is It, Why Do We Study It, Specific Codes of Ethics
Ethical Considerations in Business
Emerging Technologies (ET) in Education: Ethical and Legal Implications
Ethics: Dual Relationships
Euthanasia: The Legal and Ethical Perspectives
The Ethics of Government Involvement in Business
Ethics in the Healthcare Industry: Armando Dimas’ Case
Integration and Synthesis of Relevant Ethical Theory and Conceptual Principles in Health Care
Dentistry: Code of Ethics and Professionalism
Moral, Ethical and Legal Conduct in Nursing
The Ethics of Organ Donation
Walmart Ethics and Compliance Challenges
Accounting Ethics and the Code of Conduct
Aspects Related to Business Ethics
The Ethical Standards of Auditing
The Film Zodiac and Ethical Concerns
The Issue of Ethics in Healthcare
Pre- and Post-Operative Nursing and Ethics
Nursing Code of Ethics in the Human Trafficking Victim Treatment
Stem Cell Research: Ethical Nursing Principle
Ethical Controversies During COVID-19 Pandemic Regulations
Kantian Ethics and the End in Itself
Law Policy and Ethical Setting in Children’s Social Work
Apple’s Reputation Regarding Ethical and Social Responsibility
Personal and Organizational Ethics
Ethical and Legal Issues During Catastrophes or Disasters
Business, Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability
Moral Theories: Utilitarianism, Duty-Based Ethics and Virtue-Based Ethics
U.S. v. Microsoft Corporation: An Ethical Analysis
Personal Values and Ethical Standards
Moral Character in “Principles of Biomedical Ethics“ by Beauchamp and Childress
Pre-Natal Sex Determination and Ethical Issues
Ethics and Morality as Philosophical Concepts: Definitions According to Aristotle, Dante, and Kant
Ethical Theories and Principles
Ethical Communication and Its Principles
Christian Teachings vs. Biomedical Ethics: Illogical Decisions and Treatment Issues
Machinery Accident from an Ethical Standpoint
Informatics Ethical Principles: Nursing Organizations
Microsoft Company’s Marketing Ethics
American Nurses Association’s Code of Ethics
American Nurses Association’s Code of Ethics: Overview and Analysis
The Evolution of Business Ethics
The Aircraft Brake Ethical Scandal
Discussion: Ethics in Healthcare Research
Ethical Dilemmas: Key Aspects of Decision Making
Ethical Issues in Organizations
Ethical Issues in Qualitative Research
Ethical Principles in Psychology
The Ethical Principles of Conducting Research
Public Administration and Ethics
Medical Ethics: The Importance of Autonomy
Perception of Ethics in Individual and Group Practices
Ethical Theories Applied to the Euthanasia Issue
Ethical Decision-Making in a Historical Context
Code of Ethics in Food Tracks Business
Basic Ethics and Bioethics Principles in Health Care
Ethics of Interrogation
Research Ethics and Informed Consent
Personal and Professional Ethics
Ethics, Responsibility and Sustainability: Schwartz Values Survey
Discourse Ethics and the Disadvantages of Fair Argumentation
Ethical Values in Artifacts: Hacksaw Ridge
The Golden Rule and Business Ethics
Comfortability and Productivity at Work: Ethical Management
Ethics in the American National Red Cross
Ethics of Affirmative Action Plan
Codes of Ethics, Nursing, and Professional Skills Development
Rendering Ethical Judgement in Sports
Morals and Ethics in New Jersey Dental School
Ethical Issues in Biomedical Research
Information Technology: Code of Ethics
Ethics and Morals in Quran
Ethics of Nursing Informatics
Nursing Code and Ethical Practices
Deontological Ethics in Criminal Justice
Ethical Professional Codes of Healthcare
The Application of Ethical Principles in Nursing
National Collegiate Athletic Association’s (NCAA) Ethics Program and Sexual Abuse Scandals
Ethical Analysis of the Tuskegee Syphilis Experiments
The Link Between Corporate Culture and Ethical Leadership
Ethical Theory: Moral Course of Action
Virtues, Utilitarianism, and Deontological Ethics
Homicide Detectives: Ethical and Cultural Analysis
Definition and Development of Marketing Ethics
The Code of Ethics: Standards & Values Within the Organization
Ethical Issue in Global and Local Marketing
Truth in Mathematics, Ethics and Arts
Obscenity and Computer Ethics
Business Ethics in Real Estate
Dynamics of Ethics, Ethical Principles and the Technology of Ethics
Ethics and Audit Risks of Auditing Fraudulent Financial Statements
Pressure Ulcers Elimination: Ethical Issues
Social Work Ethics: Issues and Critical Debates
Profit Maximization Ethics and Corporate Social Responsibility
Social, Legal, And Ethical Issues in the Modern Database Era
Childhood Vaccination: Ethical Case Study
Ethics in Project Management
Edward Snowden and the Ethics of Whistleblowing
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Personal Ethics Statement, Goals and Moral Principles
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Kant’s and Mill’s Ethical Philosophies
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Enron’s Corporate Culture and Ethics Failure
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Ethics and Issues of Male and Female Circumcision
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To What Extent Is Truth Different in Mathematics, Ethics and Arts
Medical Practitioner’s Work Environment and Ethical Dilemma
The Business Ethics Workshop: Employee’s Ethics
The Real Estate Development Company: Code of Ethics
TOMS Shoes: The Ethical Work Standards
Ethical Business: How Important Is It?
Ethics in Group Psychotherapy
Ad It Up Marketing Firm Seeks Ethical Entry-Level Marketing Employees
Ethical Principles in Accounting in Small Business
Knowledge and Ignorance: Ethical Issues in Modern Medicine
The Police Department’s Ethical Challenges
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Ethical Leadership and Employee Satisfaction
Anti-Vaccination as an Ethical Problem
Leadership and Ethical Behaviors in the Workplace
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Importance of Ethics for Human Services Professionals
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Framework for Ethical Decision-Making
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Abortion in Christian and Non-Christian Ethics
A Case in Point of an Ethical Conundrum
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The Connection of Argumentation and Ethics
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Workplace Ethical Standards Violations
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A Civil Commitment and Ethical Issues Journal
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Ethical Aspects of Abortion: A Moral Dilemma
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StudyCorgi . "617 Ethics Essay Topics & Examples." September 9, 2021. https://studycorgi.com/ideas/ethics-essay-topics/.

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These essay examples and topics on Ethics were carefully selected by the StudyCorgi editorial team. They meet our highest standards in terms of grammar, punctuation, style, and fact accuracy. Please ensure you properly reference the materials if you’re using them to write your assignment.

This essay topic collection was updated on June 22, 2024 .

25+ Moral Dilemma Examples, Questions, and Scenarios

Moral dilemmas occur all too frequently in everyday life. These are situations in which there is a difficult decision to be made between two or more options.

Here are moral dilemma examples, questions, and scenarios to see how you might handle these difficult situations.

Table of Contents

Drug testing and pregnant women

The whistleblower dilemma, characteristic behaviors, lying on a resume, healthcare options, moral dilemmas involved with during human-machine interaction, my boss is wrong. should i bring it up or question him on it, frequently asked questions.

Dr. Holly Wilson

Chair of the Department of Arts, English and Humanities & Professor of Philosophy, Louisiana State University Alexandria

Since the Supreme Court decision in 1999, it is no longer permissible to drug test pregnant women without their consent. The testing without consent could not be justified by reference to the “special needs” of the community for getting women into treatment for the sake of the pregnancy.

Today, there are still reasons to be concerned about the well-being of pregnant women and their children since substance abuse is on the rise.

The dilemma is that pregnancy clinics would like to test pregnant women but the women are afraid of being prosecuted. Health care providers want to test women to be able to provide intervention in the case of substance abuse.

In some states, there are, however, “fetal assault” laws that make it illegal to use opiates during pregnancy. Tennessee, Alabama, and South Carolina have such “fetal assault” laws which create a disincentive for pregnant women to seek help for their pregnancies.

Pregnant women do not want to face prison time and losing their children so there is a disincentive to seek help with the pregnancy. Yet, without the intervention of the health care facility, the child is likely to suffer more and have lasting health issues.

Is criminalizing substance abuse for pregnant mothers the best way to treat the problem of substance abuse and fetal protection? Are there other solutions that may be more in the best interest of women and children?

The Supreme Court affirmed women’s right to informed consent and denied the testing because the purpose of the testing at that time was aimed at law enforcement rather than saving lives.

Is criminalizing pregnant women really going to save more lives? Is this an effective way to stop substance abuse and save children’s lives? Children of prosecuted women must grow up without their mothers. Is this in the best interest of children?

Should we rather put the emphasis on treating women who abuse opiates rather than prosecute them? Would this not save both the mother and the child?

Prof. Craig B. Barkacs

Professor of Business Law and Ethics in the Master’s in Executive Leadership and MBA Programs, University of San Diego School of Business

You encounter someone doing something wrong.

Do you speak up? Do you report it?

As a professor in the School of Business at the University of San Diego, the “whistleblower dilemma” is taken up in the Business Ethics classes I teach. Pedagogic research supports analyzing issues in a context class members can relate to.

In keeping with this prescribed approach of making the context student-relevant, how the particular issue of “whistleblowing” is rolled out in my business ethics class tends to tease out contradictions and inconsistencies that are the hallmark of cognitive dissonance.

“Class,” I begin, “Who here thinks cheating in school is okay?” Yes, it is a softball question. After all, who is going to raise their hand in an ethics class and make the case for a clear violation of academic integrity?

“Next question,” I continue, “So since we all agree that cheating is wrong, you’re going to tell me when someone cheats?”

“No? Well, how about if I sweeten the pot? Since we all agree that cheating is wrong, if you come forward and report such a violation of academic integrity I will see that you receive maximum exposure and be given full credit in public for conscientiously trying to right this wrong.”

“Why are you laughing? You mean you don’t want people to know that you stepped forward to expose cheating? Why not? We have some unflattering names for people who report wrongdoing, don’t we? Can you think of a few?”

Now the class chimes in with the likes of, “tattletale, rat, Judas, traitor, squealer, stool pigeon, stoolie, canary, nark, fink…etc.”

Yes, it is hard to be a whistleblower. I will then ask them to consider what they might do under the following circumstances:

Scenario 1 : Imagine you are doing very poorly in the class, and I state as follows.

“This class is not just about theory, but also about action. Do you have the courage of your convictions? Assume I know cheating has taken place, but I need the support of a witness to make the charge stick. If any of you have the courage to come forward and confirm the cheating by a fellow student you too know has cheated, I will give you an “A” in the class – you will have earned it with your actions.”

Scenario 2 : Imagine you are doing very well in the class, and I state as follows.

“This class is not just about theory, but also about action. Assume I know cheating has taken place, and I also know that you know (e.g., I overheard you saying as much) and can be a much-needed corroborating witness. I need the support of a witness to make the charge stick. If you fail to come forward and confirm the cheating by a fellow student you too know has cheated, I will give you an “F” in the class – you will have earned it with your cowardice.”

As one would imagine, both the carrot (scenario #1) and the stick (scenario #2) tend to encourage people to speak up when their own well-being is at stake. Do they still, however, want confidentiality? Absolutely.

Your grade in the class is not a consideration. You are deeply troubled, however, by the cheating of others. You want to report it because your spindle cells are firing and you believe it’s the right thing to do. The teacher promises confidentiality, but you will almost certainly be found out anyway as the one who spoke up. You will be ostracized.

The discussion becomes much more intricate and involved as various scenarios and complexities are introduced, but even at this early juncture the conceptual foundation of the whistleblower dilemma is firmly established.

Dr. Steven Mintz

Retired Professor Emeritus, California Polytechnic State University | Business Ethics Speaker | Author, “Beyond Happiness and Meaning: Transforming Your Life Through Ethical Behavior”

Mary was told by her husband, Tom, that he would accompany her on a weekend retreat for employees of her company. When the time came to go, Tom said he never agreed to do it. Mary wonders whether she had imagined it or was there more at play.

This isn’t the first time Tom presented a different view of an event and insisted it is the truth. He has repeatedly said: “I never said that.” On other occasions, Tom has accused Mary of making commitments without asking him.

At other times, Mary agreed to meet him on a certain day, but Tom insisted she said a different day. Mary is confused. She is starting to believe Tom and doesn’t know what to do.

Gaslighting occurs when a person presents a different view of an event and insist it is the truth, in order to make you question yourself.

It occurs when someone is consistently doing things to make you doubt yourself, where the objective is to have you seriously question your own sanity.

Other examples of gaslighting

They blame you for causing them to be late even though it was their fault.
They accuse you of doing something you did not do.
They start lying to you about things that become larger and larger over time.
They cause you to doubt your perceptions by providing you with misinformation.
They deny concrete facts to target your sense of reality.

What should Mary do?

Mary should look for other situations where Tom had said something that didn’t line up with her sense of reality. This will give her a clearer perspective of his motivations.

Has Tom increasingly lied about the most trivial of things when the truth doesn’t hurt or harm her? Has he said something like you are mad or crazy?

A gaslighter’s ultimate motivation is to control another party, Mary in this case.. Tom seeks to purposefully confuse Mary and doubt herself. Before long, Mary is willing to believe anything Tom says.

Mary should keep a journal to be clear on her thoughts during gaslighting. By writing down her thoughts and actions she can always go back to her notes to verify she wasn’t wrong. It also helps to establish a pattern of behavior by Tom.

Mary should speak to a close friend or family member to get an objective view of the situation and help craft her response to the events. She may want to go to a therapist for psychological help. Meditating is a useful tool to remain calm during the ordeal.

The best way to handle Tom is not to play his games. Mary should try to avoid the temptation of reacting to his statements because that will only encourage him more. If she can detach from his statements — show him they aren’t causing her to doubt herself – then he may stop gaslighting over time. She can take back control over her life.

Cheryl has been unemployed during the coronavirus pandemic for six months. Her unemployment benefits are about to run out. She’s having difficulty providing for her family since she is the only bread winner.

The whole situation is creating a strain in the family dynamic. Add to that the fact that her two kids are trying to learn their educational lessons on zoom and Cheryl is at her wit’s end.

Cheryl decides to try the job market. She shows her resume to her husband, Bob, who suggests stretching the dates she worked for a prior employer by one year to cover-up a one-year gap in the dates of employment with that employer.

Bob doesn’t think a prospective employer would realize the deception because no one at the prior employer is listed as a reference.

Should Cheryl stretch out the dates of employment with the prior employer?

What is Truth-telling?

There are two aspects of truth-telling, also thought of as honesty. One is to never omit information that another party has a right to know, or a lie by omission. The other is not to say or write something that mislead or deceive others, a lie of commission.

Truth-telling is an essential element of trust. Why would an employer believe anything Cheryl says if it became known that she had lied on her resume?

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People who obscure the truth or shade it are intentionally trying to get someone to trust them. The potential benefit for Cheryl is getting the job. But is it worth lying about her previous employment experience?

Cheryl may think distorting the dates of employment is justifiable, especially in the trying times of the pandemic. The fact that Bob suggested it may give Cheryl an added incentive to do the deed.

However, she should ask herself the following:

What if a prospective employer finds out about the lie after she has been hired?
Will she be demoted, lose pay, or be fired for cause?
What if the prospective employer decides to contact the prior employer?
What will she do then?

Lying on her resume puts Cheryl in the position of sliding down the proverbial “ethical slippery slope” where one lie leads to another and soon enough she would be in a position of covering her actions through deception.

What Should Cheryl do?

Adding an extra year to Cheryl’s employment record and justifying it as part of the game is tantamount to rationalizing an unethical act. It reflects an end justifies the means approach to ethical decision making because Cheryl is willing to do whatever it takes to get the high-paying job.

She can rationalize that feeding her family must come first and foremost. The trying times during the pandemic justifies adding the extra year. After all, she may have established a good performance record with other employers who she can ask for a recommendation.

If Cheryl stretches the dates of employment she will be lying by omission and it may be followed up by a lie of commission if she is asked about that prior employment experience. A prospective employer has an ethical right to expect potential employees to be honest on their resume.

Cheryl has a moral duty, to be honest with any prospective employer and should not start an employment relationship with a lie.

She should imagine if everyone lied on their resume about dates of employment, adding a job they didn’t have, or embellishing their experience. This would put Cheryl in a weaker position in getting the job.

Cheryl should explain to Bob that the potential harms of lying on her resume outweigh the benefits of getting the job. She still may get the job even with a one-year gap in her employment.

There may be a good reason for it, such as raising her kids. Even so, there will be other job opportunities that come along. It’s best to wait and be honest from the start to develop a trusting employment relationship.

Related: 16 Real-Life Examples of Ethical Dilemmas

Sanket Shah

Clinical Assistant Professor for Biomedical and Health Information Sciences, University of Illinois, Chicago | Author, “Healthcare Analytics 101: A Comprehensive Guide”

I recently experienced an ankle injury that required a visit to an immediate care facility. During the visit, an x-ray was taken and the physician on-call asked me to set up an appointment with their orthopedics unit the following day.

The next day, the orthopedic specialist could not determine the extent of my injury and asked me to set up an appointment for an MRI at their imaging center downstairs. I did so and had my follow-up visit with the physician who said he thought I was okay and it was not a break.

However, to be sure, he wanted me to go to the hospital system and get a CT scan just in case. I did so and received a call at the end of the week saying everything was fine and to just rest up.

That great news was overshadowed when I received my hefty bill which was mostly related to all of the imaging work I had undergone.

Most of us have been accustomed to visiting our physician and following his or her recommendation to ensure the best possible health outcomes. The term in the healthcare industry is referred to as “Medical Adherence” .

Not following orders can include stopping medication as prescribed, engaging in a lifestyle activity that continues to put one at risk, or simply not continuing your treatment plan as directed. The consequences of medical non-adherence can be very detrimental to one’s health.

The healthcare industry is multi-faceted, complex, and often confusing for the common patient.

What we as patients may not realize, is in certain circumstances, we do have choices that can be made that are in our best interest.

These options are rarely discussed between patient and physician as recommended services and treatment options are almost always kept within their employed health system.

This would make sense from a convenience perspective but also from a financial perspective as patients are kept within the same healthcare ecosystem. More visits and services ultimately lead to more revenue.

I shared my experience above because it is a prime example of how healthcare costs continue to balloon for the United States.

In my situation, I could have taken both the MRI and CT at a free-standing imaging center. The function and process would have been identical. I arrive, I get scanned, and the results are sent to my physician. Going there instead of going to my provider’s imaging center would have saved me hundreds of dollars.

Most of us simply just don’t know how to ask the right questions, but by doing so, you may be able to save hundreds or thousands in medical expenses.

Here are a few tips to consider that may be worth researching or asking your physician to better understand your options:

If you need imaging done, can it be done at a nearby free-standing clinic?
If you have a planned procedure, can it be conducted in a lower cost setting such as an outpatient facility or ambulatory surgical center?
If you have lab work that needs to be done, can it be done at a clinical lab facility?
If you are being prescribed medication, is there a generic equivalent available?
If you think you need to go to the emergency room, is it really an emergency, or can you go to an urgent care center?

These are just some examples of what a patient should be aware of to help control some of their out-of-pocket costs when it comes to medical care.

You should always follow your doctor’s orders, but asking questions and conducting your own research will provide you with information so that you and your physician can make the most informed decisions.

Catherine Neubauer, Ph.D.

Professor, Online Master of Science in Applied Psychology Program at the University of Southern California | Research Psychologist, Army Research Lab

As autonomous technologies and artificial intelligence (AI) continue to advance and become more ubiquitous with every day human use, there are several concerns designers, researchers and users should be concerned with (or at least aware of).

Initial concerns may center around developing infrastructure to support such technologies as well as accompanying cost-prohibitive components; however, a more complicated concern revolves around the moral dilemmas that may emerge as humans and machines interact, work, or team with one another.

For example, take autonomous cars and a dangerous driving scenario where either the passengers in the car or the pedestrians walking along the side of the road could be hurt or injured. If the autonomous car is in full control, it will execute decisions and behaviors that have been pre-programmed to take place, given a set of environmental constraints.

The dilemma then arises as to how humans will program the actions to be taken and how machines should execute them, especially in uncertain, high stress or risky situations.

Currently, researchers are working on programming basic human decision-making components into these systems; however, morality is a much more complex process that even humans struggle to engage in effectively.

In these cases, it is difficult for humans to make accurate decisions, therefore, it will be even more complicated to build machines that engage in this kind of decision-making as well.

Additionally, further questions and concerns center around 1) the rights of AI or autonomous agents (e.g., as AI abilities increase, will they become more self-aware and hence deserve various civil rights), 2) the level of control they will have or the positions and roles they will be able to hold (e.g., a team leader with ultimate authority or a team member who simply executes commands) and 3) how machines will weigh moral dilemmas and the safety of the humans they are built to assist when the future outcomes are not immediately clear.

In other words, will machines have the ability to ascertain the nuances and subtleties of an uncertain scenario in the same way that humans do?

Although current work is being done on the subject, it is very difficult for machines to predict future outcomes; therefore, how can moral decision-making in machines occur when outcomes are not immediately clear?

We can program scenarios that a machine will follow, but will these programming constraints be too restrictive and give us what we asked for, but not what we actually want?

In the real-world humans need to be flexible and adaptable during uncertain situations and moral dilemmas, it is not always a one-case fit all scenario.

Jack Choros

CMO, IronMonk Solutions

If you’ve been working for long enough chances are you might’ve had a bad boss or two in your career. This moral dilemma is a tough one.

On the one hand, your boss signs your checks, so you do what they tell you to do. On the other hand, if they’re wrong and it’s causing you undue stress, you want to be able to speak up.

So what do you do?

I say you try as much as possible to lean on facts and not personalize your issues with your boss. This way you can still show them you care about what’s happening without having them get upset.

Sometimes you may even be so invested in challenging your boss that you might think making them a little bit upset is okay. Still, unless you have an exit strategy for getting a new job, you probably don’t want to rile up too many feathers.

Even if you’re on your way out, you still want to be professional and courteous, and above all else, show you care about the company.

Chief Marketing Officer, Better Proposals

When I was in my teenage years, I spent a lot of time in a park close to my house and I saw different kinds of people.

One time, I saw a beggar who walked out of the supermarket – he bought a loaf of bread but actually had lots more food hidden in his clothes which he managed to steal. I saw him walking out and taking out the stolen items in front of me and I had two choices.

I could report him to the supermarket, they would take the items and call the police, or I could let him go unpunished because he couldn’t afford food anyways.

I decided not to report him, but I knew that he would just do it again. I told him that I saw him and that what he’s doing is wrong and gave him some money to buy food the next time around.

I don’t think anyone wins in this situation and that’s frequently the case with moral dilemmas.

What are moral dilemmas?

Moral dilemmas are complex situations where a person must choose between two or more conflicting values or ethical principles. These situations often involve difficult decisions where one option may result in a positive outcome, but at the expense of another value or principle.

For example, a moral dilemma could involve deciding between telling the truth and protecting someone’s feelings, or between saving one life and sacrificing another.

Moral dilemmas can be challenging to navigate, as they require individuals to weigh the potential consequences of their actions and determine which course of action aligns most closely with their personal beliefs and values.

The resolution of a moral dilemma may not always be clear or straightforward and may depend on factors such as cultural background, personal experiences, and individual perspective.

How do people typically respond to moral dilemmas?

People’s responses to moral dilemmas can vary widely depending on their personal beliefs , cultural background , and previous experiences .

Some people may prioritize following their moral principles above all else, even if it means going against societal norms or risking negative consequences. Others may prioritize minimizing harm to others, and choose to take actions that they believe will result in the greatest good for the greatest number of people.

There are also individuals who may struggle to make a decision in the face of a moral dilemma, or who may feel torn between conflicting values or principles. In some cases, people may experience moral distress or moral injury, which can lead to feelings of guilt, shame, or anxiety.

Overall, the way that people respond to moral dilemmas is highly individual and can be influenced by a variety of factors.

What are some common ethical frameworks that people use to make moral decisions?

Some common ethical frameworks that people use to make moral decisions include:

• Utilitarianism , which focuses on maximizing overall happiness and minimizing suffering by taking actions that result in the greatest benefit for the greatest number of people.

• Deontology , which prioritizes following moral principles and rules, regardless of the consequences. This approach places a strong emphasis on duties, rights, and obligations.

• Virtue ethics , which emphasizes the importance of developing good character traits and moral virtues, such as honesty, integrity, and compassion. This approach encourages individuals to act in accordance with these virtues and to cultivate them in themselves and others.

• Care ethics , which centers on the importance of relationships and empathy in ethical decision-making. This approach emphasizes the need to consider the impact of our actions on others and to prioritize caring for those who are vulnerable or in need.

Other ethical frameworks that may be used to make moral decisions include feminist ethics, religious ethics, and environmental ethics. The framework that a person chooses to use will depend on their individual beliefs and values, as well as the specific context of the moral dilemma they are facing.

What are the moral dilemmas that college students usually encounter?

College students may encounter a variety of moral dilemmas during their time in school, including:

• Academic integrity : Students may face ethical dilemmas related to cheating, plagiarism, or academic dishonesty. These situations can arise when students feel pressure to perform well academically or when they are struggling to keep up with their coursework.

• Relationships : College students may face ethical dilemmas related to their relationships with friends, romantic partners, or roommates. These situations can include deciding whether to speak up about a friend’s problematic behavior, navigating conflicts with others, or making choices that may impact others’ well-being.

• Substance use : College students may face ethical dilemmas related to alcohol or drug use, such as deciding whether to intervene when a friend is engaging in risky behavior or choosing whether to partake in activities that may be harmful or illegal.

• Social justice : College students may encounter ethical dilemmas related to issues of social justice, such as deciding whether to participate in protests or activism, whether to speak out against injustices they witness or how to engage in dialogue with individuals who hold different viewpoints.

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The Editors

15 Ethical Dilemma Examples You See in the Real-World

There might be affiliate links on this page, which means we get a small commission of anything you buy. As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Please do your own research before making any online purchase.

In your everyday life, and especially at work, have you faced ethical dilemmas that challenge your personal morals? If so, considering common ethical dilemma examples can go a long way to resolving your own.

You'll learn you must analyze the risks, rely on your convictions, and trust your instincts. Stepping back and removing yourself from the situation can help you gain a perspective that will aid in making your best decisions.

It's also important to be sure you act after thinking the situation through and not before. To help with this, take a look at our article, “7 Ways to Live Consciously in an Unconscious World.”

Drawing on the experience of others may empower you to navigate your struggle and arrive at the best decision.

This process exercises your critical thinking skills and the decisions you make can help you become respected as a person and a professional. Therefore, looking at ways that others have navigated those difficult moral decisions may be an excellent way to help you should you ever face similar circumstances.

In this article, you’ll learn about specific ethical dilemma examples that will help you understand the difficulty of making decisions that go against moral principles… which may make it less troublesome to make a decision when facing your next ethical dilemma.

Table of Contents

What Are Ethical Dilemmas?

Ethical dilemmas are all about difficulty in choosing between two courses of action, in which either choice involves disobeying a moral principle.

For instance, if you’re facing an ethical dilemma, it can affect you emotionally as you may struggle between what you consider to be right against what you consider to be necessary for a certain situation.

An ethical dilemma occurs when your moral principles are challenged. Some instances of the moral tenets are honesty, abstaining from and not promoting violence, caring for others, respecting the privacy of others, aiding people in trouble, and not harming others, whether humans or animals.

You may have heard of ethical dilemma examples called moral dilemmas or ethical paradoxes. In some instances, any choice you make is wrong in some sense.

In each ethical dilemma, the options are at odds with each other; they conflict with each other, causing a contradiction or paradox.

There are situations where you might have two choices; if you choose one, it would be impossible to choose the other.

Real-World Ethical Dilemma Examples

Often, the best way to mitigate ethical dilemmas is to learn about and seek understanding with real-world examples. Here are 15 examples of real-world ethical dilemmas we trust you’ll find useful.

1. Monitoring Teens on Social Media.

Should a teenager using Snapchat, Instagram, or TikTok have their social media use monitored? This is an ethical dilemma many parents of teens face as teenagers spend many hours engaging in online activities daily. For some parents, the question may be: Do I trust my child to use social media responsibly or not?

For others, they may be asking themselves: From a safety standpoint as a parent, should I monitor my teenager’s online activities, or are they old enough to use social media responsibly?

Whichever ethical dilemma they are facing, a parent’s fear of cyberbullying and safety for their children is not unfounded. According to 2018 Pew Research , 21% of 13-15-year-olds, 16% of 16-17-year-olds, and 12% of 18-20-year-olds experienced cyberbullying.

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While anyone utilizing the Internet risks cyberbullying, teens are ill-equipped to deal with such treatment as their brains are not yet fully developed. Therefore, it is a parent’s duty to protect their child from online attacks.

However, since the close monitoring of a teenager’s activities, online or otherwise, may be construed as a lack of trust toward the teen, it can potentially damage or at least put a strain on the parent-child relationship. Therein lies the ethical dilemma and the choices each parent must make.

One father of two teenaged girls chose to monitor their activities, sharing that, above all, “The devices belong to me and my wife, and we are entitled to see anything and everything on them.”

A good way to build trust with your teens may be to spend time playing games or asking “would you rather” questions ; trust will help them know that whether you monitor their online activity, you care.

2. Ghosting.

This is when you end a relationship by not responding to the other person at all, by just ignoring them, rather than telling them you would like to end the relationship. While ghosting someone is not the nicest of ways to end a relationship, is it morally wrong?

If you believe in kindness, you may struggle as to whether you can live with your decision to ghost someone. Ghosting seems like the easy way out for the one ghosting, but it's hard for the one being ghosted to find closure and move on.

Someone may choose to ghost their soon-to-be ex because they want to avoid conflict. Or maybe they are afraid the other person might lash out and become violent. For whatever reason, facing that person is uncomfortable that they consider ghosting.

If you consider ghosting someone, think about how that could make them feel. Is that really who you are? Getting a fresh and honest perspective may make you think differently if you're considering ghosting someone.

If you've been ghosted, you find some benefit in reading our “ 55 Survival Quotes to Make You Tough in 2023 .”

3. Intentionally Misinterpreting Data.

There are several instances you may find yourself in where you’re tempted to fudge the numbers. Maybe you’re in the corporate world and are tempted or encouraged to share the data in such a way that will cause stockholders to believe their investments are more secure than they are.

Your ethical dilemma may be whether you misinterpret the data and secure your career or share the true numbers and risk losing your job.

An ethical dilemma example of misinterpreting or outright lying about data is the FTX scandal where investors lost billions of dollars on the digital currency platform after being misled by founder Sam Bankman-Fried.

4. Selling a Car Without Disclosing All Known Negative Details.

Let's say you're selling your car to upgrade to a newer model. Nothing much is wrong with it, so you fail to disclose the fact that it has trouble starting from time to time; or, that it was involved in an accident.

Should you disclose whatever is wrong with it to potential buyers or do you consider purchasing a used car to be a ‘buyer beware' situation? Uphold your moral standards and make sure you aren’t the subject of someone’s used car sales gone bad story.

5. Cheat on Your Significant Other.

Your relationship has gone south but you're still considered a couple. You meet someone that, well, if you weren't married… But you are; and you stood before an entire congregation of people promising fidelity “til death do us part'.

A few years have passed and you just don't have the same romantic feelings anymore. Whether he's changed or you've changed or you've both changed, you can't quite put your finger on it. Now, you feel like you'd rather get out than stay in.

Since the relationship is rocky, can you justify starting a new relationship? Or, should you stay faithful and risk letting the potential new love of your life get away? Sometimes a person will cheat on their significant other as an act of revenge when they are mad at each other. And sometimes, the decision to cheat ends badly.

If you've made the decision not to cheat, try solidifying your relationship with our advice on relationships.

6. Should You Lie to a Sick Loved One?

Usually, if someone considers lying, whether they do it or not, it goes against their belief system and in their heart they know that it's wrong. However, whenever the truth would hurt someone you love, it often presents a gray area or a moral dilemma.

There have been instances where family members have either lied or withheld the truth in order to spare the feelings of a sick loved one, particularly in cases of Alzheimer's patients.

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If an Alzheimer's patient asks about a loved one, and that loved one is deceased, finding out about their death all over again can cause them pain. Because of that, some family members will lie to spare their loved one's feelings. Is it ever compassionate to withhold information from your loved one with Alzheimer's?

This may be a dilemma you should discuss with your family members to help make your own personal decision. However, make sure you follow your own moral compass rather than doing what others wish you to do .

7. To Share or Not to Share Political Leanings.

Have you noticed how passionate people are about politics? If you choose to share your political leanings online or in person, you would lose followers, friends, and/or family members.

Some people weigh the options and decide it's not worth it to speak what's on your mind and lose the close contact of others.

Some say it's best to be real, to be authentic, and share any and all beliefs, loud and proud. Before choosing either option, weigh your options. Which choice can you live with? Which one could you not live with?

No matter what you decide, take time to consider the consequences of each choice before firmly making your decision. Then, be prepared to live with those consequences.

8. Whether to Report an Accident.

If you're in a rush and you pass by and an accident, would you report it? Or would you not, knowing that the next person that passes by most likely would call the authorities?

The moral dilemma would be: risk getting to your meeting late, especially if you have to give an account of what happened to the police; or risk feeling guilty because you chose not to stop and help in a situation and caused the authorities to arrive sooner rather than later or even too late.

If you're struggling about whether you should report an accident as a witness, put yourself in the shoes of those affected by the accident to discover what you should do and how you can help.

9. To Share or Not to Share Religious Beliefs.

It's been said to never discuss politics or religion. Yet there comes a time in close relationships where the question of whether to share what your beliefs are may come to mind, bringing you face to face with a moral dilemma.

If you know the person you'll be sharing with has beliefs that are different from yours, you may wonder if sharing your beliefs will push them away.

Withholding the information as you grow closer in a relationship may cause several problems: the other person in the relationship may feel you haven't been as open and honest as you should have been, or you may feel conflicted as you want to share but are hesitant to do so.

However, if you feel a kinship with a person on a spiritual level , you may consider sharing your religious views.

If the question of whether you should share your religious views at work arises, you may want to ask yourself why you would consider sharing.

While there are employment laws against discrimination of religion, you need to be careful not to proselytize, which is to try to convert someone, and would be frowned upon in the workplace.

10. Should You Lie to Your Boss?

Being less than truthful with your boss can have repercussions, depending on the lie. The moral dilemma you may face may be whether you should lie about your experience and education, which could easily be verified. If the lie is less impactful, as in, you call in sick but aren't, you are less likely to get caught in the lie.

In employing your critical thinking skills you may find that you agree its fine to lie to your boss in certain situations. However, does lying to your boss on any level go against your personal moral beliefs? If so, that will create your moral dilemma.

11. Recalling a Faulty Product.

Let's say you own a business, and it has come to your attention that the product you've shipped and sold has a faulty part.

What would you do? If the part's faultiness would cause harm to someone using the product, that's a serious consideration. If, however, the faultiness may not be noticed and would not cause harm, that may cause you to consider not recalling the product.

The moral dilemma is presented as you determine how you feel about not making the product right and looking out for the best interests of your customers. There is also the legal side of recalling a product.

12. Taking Credit for Your Coworker’s Work.

You've collaborated on a project at work. Your team members have given valuable input that has drawn attention from your management team. You know this recognition could move you closer to a promotion.

Although one of your teammates had the most eye-catching input, should you claim credit for it? After all, it was a team effort, and you'd really like that promotion.

The moral dilemma is doing what's right by giving your teammates the credit they deserve, which would preserve your working relationship or risk your working relationship by claiming the credit for yourself.

To help you make your decision ask yourself whether taking credit for someone else's work is ethical. It would be more beneficial to pursue your own path to promotion without detracting from someone else.

13. Aborting a Child with Down Syndrome.

When you're expecting a baby, it's generally a joyous occasion. If you find out your baby will be living with life-changing challenges, such as Down syndrome, you may find you're facing a moral dilemma.

According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), the life expectancy of babies with Down syndrome increased from 10-years-old in 1960 to 47-years-old in 2007.

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While there are additional challenges associated with a child with Down syndrome, the dilemma basically comes down to the question: how does an abortion fit into your moral beliefs?

You may want to read this article showcasing three families struggling with the moral dilemma of aborting a Down syndrome child.

14. Should You Tell Your Friend if Her Husband is Cheating?

It's a heavy burden to carry and keep a secret from a friend, especially if you feel that she will be hurt by finding out the truth. You may also be worried about how the information you're intending to share will be received.

If not received well, you could lose a friend. At best, it would likely be an emotional conversation.

Or your moral dilemma might be: should you speak to your friend about the situation or speak to her husband or just do nothing?

No matter what your choice is according to your moral beliefs, I think you can agree this is a sticky situation. If you do decide to tell your friend, do it with finesse.

15. Is It Okay to Take Supplies from Your Office?

Many people work in office settings and for their job functions to be fulfilled, their companies supply tools they need. These tools may be something as simple as paper clips to pens, notebooks, office chairs, and computers.

The moral dilemma becomes when you question whether you should take some of these office supplies home for your own personal use.

According to your belief system, would that be stealing from the company or would it be acceptable? Would it matter if the item you'd like to take is a small item or do you believe, right or wrong, any item would carry the same weight in your decision?

Final Thoughts on Real-World Ethical Dilemmas

While ethical dilemma examples may go from two difficult choices, to almost impossible choices, I'm sure you and I can agree that it helps to arm yourself with the knowledge of how others have faced similar situations.

In reading through the ethical dilemma examples we've provided, you may have found a pathway to your own answers.

When making your choices, it's in your best interest to keep honesty, integrity, and morality paramount. The ability to weigh each choice and try to objectively choose for the greater good is beneficial.

Your critical thinking skills will come into play and possibly be challenged when making difficult choices. As you can see from the examples we've provided in this article, some moral dilemmas are quite difficult and the answers are not always clear-cut choices.

The bottom line is that the examples detailed in this article may help you in making decisions as they arise in your own life, especially when you find them challenging.

A good starting point is to get yourself in the right mindset , consider all the facts, then figure out whether you have the control to make the decision needed before moving forward. Having done that, once you've made your choice, you'll have the satisfaction that you've chosen wisely.

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What Is Morality?

Societal underpinnings of "right" and "wrong"

How Morals Are Established

Morals that transcend time and culture, examples of morals, morality vs. ethics, morality and laws.

Morality refers to the set of standards that enable people to live cooperatively in groups. It’s what societies determine to be “right” and “acceptable.”

Sometimes, acting in a moral manner means individuals must sacrifice their own short-term interests to benefit society. Individuals who go against these standards may be considered immoral.

It may be helpful to differentiate between related terms, such as immoral , nonmoral , and amoral . Each has a slightly different meaning:

Immoral : Describes someone who purposely commits an offensive act, even though they know the difference between what is right and wrong
Nonmoral : Describes situations in which morality is not a concern
Amoral : Describes someone who acknowledges the difference between right and wrong, but who is not concerned with morality

Morality isn’t fixed. What’s considered acceptable in your culture might not be acceptable in another culture. Geographical regions, religion, family, and life experiences all influence morals.

Scholars don’t agree on exactly how morals are developed. However, there are several theories that have gained attention over the years:

Freud’s morality and the superego: Sigmund Freud suggested moral development occurred as a person’s ability to set aside their selfish needs (id) to be replaced by the values of important socializing agents, such as a person’s parents, teachers, and institutions (superego).
Piaget’s theory of moral development: Jean Piaget focused on the social-cognitive perspective of moral development. He theorized that moral development unfolds over time alongside the progressing stages of cognitive development. Early on, children learn to adopt certain moral behaviors for their own sake (it makes them feel good), rather than just abide by moral codes because they don’t want to get into trouble. By adolescence, you can think more abstractly, and begin to make moral decisions based on higher universal principles and the greater good of society.
B.F. Skinner’s behavioral theory: B.F. Skinner focused on the power of external forces that shaped an individual’s development. For example, a child who receives praise for being kind may treat someone with kindness again out of a desire to receive more positive attention in the future.
Kohlberg’s moral reasoning: Lawrence Kohlberg proposed six stages of moral development that went beyond Piaget’s theory. Through a series of questions or moral dilemmas, Kohlberg proposed that an adult’s stage of reasoning could be identified.
Gilligan's perspective of gender differences in moral reasoning . Carol Gilligan criticized Kohlberg for being male-centric in his theory of moral development. She explained that men are more justice-oriented in their moral reasoning; whereas, women are more care-oriented . Within that context, moral dilemmas will have different solutions depending on which gender is doing the reasoning.

What Is the Basis of Morality?

There are different theories as to how morals are developed. However, most theories acknowledge the external factors (parents, community, etc.) that contribute to a child's moral development. These morals are intended to benefit the group that has created them.

Most morals aren’t fixed. They usually shift and change over time.

Ideas about whether certain behaviors are moral—such as engaging in pre-marital sex, entering into same-sex relationships, and using cannabis—have shifted over time. While the bulk of the population once viewed these behaviors as “wrong,” the vast majority of the population now finds these activities to be “acceptable.”

In some regions, cultures, and religions, using contraception is considered immoral. In other parts of the world, some people consider contraception the moral thing to do, as it reduces unplanned pregnancy, manages the population, and reduces the risk of sexually transmitted illnesses.

7 Universal Morals

Some morals seem to transcend across the globe and across time, however. Researchers have discovered that these seven morals seem somewhat universal:

Defer to authority
Help your group
Love your family
Return favors
Respect others’ property

The following are common morality examples that you may have been taught growing up, and may have even passed on to younger generations:

Have empathy
Don't steal
Tell the truth
Treat others as you want to be treated

People might adhere to these principles by:

Being an upstanding citizen
Doing volunteer work
Donating money to charity
Forgiving someone
Not gossiping about others
Offering their time and help to others

To get a sense of the types of morality you were raised with, think about what your parents, community and/or religious leaders told you that you "should" or "ought" to do.

Some scholars don’t distinguish between morals and ethics . Both have to do with “right and wrong.”

However, some people believe morality is personal while ethics refer to the standards of a community.

For example, your community may not view premarital sex as a problem. But on a personal level, you might consider it immoral. By this definition, your morality would contradict the ethics of your community.

Both laws and morals are meant to regulate behavior in a community to allow people to live in harmony. Both have firm foundations in the concept that everyone should have autonomy and show respect to one another.

Legal thinkers interpret the relationship between laws and morality differently. Some argue that laws and morality are independent. This means that laws can’t be disregarded simply because they’re morally indefensible.

Others believe law and morality are interdependent. These thinkers believe that laws that claim to regulate behavioral expectations must be in harmony with moral norms. Therefore, all laws must secure the welfare of the individual and be in place for the good of the community.

Something like adultery may be considered immoral by some, but it’s legal in most states. Additionally, it’s illegal to drive slightly over the speed limit but it isn’t necessarily considered immoral to do so.

There may be times when some people argue that breaking the law is the “moral” thing to do. Stealing food to feed a starving person, for example, might be illegal but it also might be considered the “right thing” to do if it’s the only way to prevent someone from suffering or dying.

Think About It

It can be helpful to spend some time thinking about the morals that guide your decisions about things like friendship, money, education, and family. Understanding what’s really important to you can help you understand yourself better and it may make difficult decisions easier.

Merriam-Webster. A lesson on 'unmoral,' 'immoral,' 'nonmoral,' and 'amoral.'

Ellemers N, van der Toorn J, Paunov Y, van Leeuwen T. The psychology of morality: A review and analysis of empirical studies published from 1940 through 2017 . Pers Soc Psychol Rev. 2019;23(4):332-366. doi:10.1177/1088868318811759

Curry OS, Mullins DA, Whitehouse H. Is it good to cooperate? Testing the theory of morality-as-cooperation in 60 societies . Current Anthropology. 2019;60(1):47-69. doi:10.1086/701478

Encyclopædia Britannica. What's the difference between morality and ethics?

Moka-Mubelo W. Law and morality . In: Reconciling Law and Morality in Human Rights Discourse . Vol 3. Springer International Publishing; 2017:51-88. doi:10.1007/978-3-319-49496-8_3

By Amy Morin, LCSW Amy Morin, LCSW, is a psychotherapist and international bestselling author. Her books, including "13 Things Mentally Strong People Don't Do," have been translated into more than 40 languages. Her TEDx talk, "The Secret of Becoming Mentally Strong," is one of the most viewed talks of all time.

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Morality Essay Examples

Subjectivity of morality: herbert morris.

Herbert Morris’ essay, “A Paternalistic Theory of Punishment,” revolves around the concept that the state’s purpose is to guide its people towards a defined moralistic good, and thus must punish with such intentions in mind. Through the analogy of a parent raising their child, Morris...

American Concept of Morality and Its Problems

Some scholars claim that “American society is in a dire moral state, and there is urgent need to renewal, revival, and recommitment .” Are these scholars right with their claims? Is American culture lacking morals? The essay about morality aims to discover the concept of...

Exploring the Hidden Truth About What Does It Mean to Be Wicked

What does it mean to be wicked? This essay states that this phrase means to be morally bad or evil. It is a term used to describe someone who deliberately and intentionally chooses to act in ways that are harmful or unethical. Being wicked implies...

What is Morality and How It Shapes How People Behave

Morality is a term that is used to describe the set of values and principles that guide human behavior and decision-making. It encompasses concepts such as right and wrong, good and evil, and the principles that underpin ethical behavior. "What is morality?" is the core...

Morality Essay - the Review of "To Kill a Mockingbird"

Actions? The things that we do day in and day out. Are we doing the right thing or the wrong thing? How do we differentiate between the two? All of these questions fall under the category of morality. In “To Kill A Mockingbird” these are...

Reason is the Basis of Morality in Human’s Action

What is morality? Is morality the consequence of your actions or the reason behind them? If you ask Kant, he believes that because all humans have reason we all are inadvertently moral. I would argue that morality is the reasoning behind a human’s action rather...

Helping Street Beggars from a Philosophical Perspective

Seeing people stand on the side of the road asking for money is a common site in Rhode Island, especially in cities such as Cranston and Providence. It’s hard to know what the moral thing would be to do in these situations. If we give...

Gender Issues During the Progressive Era

The role of women in American society during the Progressive Era years of 1870-1930 changed and expanded significantly. The genesis of this growth can be found as a series of steps of progression women’s roles began to take towards equality. From the Civil War through...

Principles of Morality in the Modern World

In my eye, whether it is state, organization, enterprise or individual, we should respect the value of human life. There are hundreds of millions of people on the planet, but everyone is unique to the circle of their lives and cannot be duplicated. A person’s...

The Morally Suffering Body in the Film "Stranger in Paradise"

“They were more visible to the state and to the public in their suffering and thus less visible as political actors, both in the sense of a threatening or potentially liberatory mass and as individuals with pasts and futures- individuals who imagine and desire”. This...

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About Morality

Morality (from Latin moralitas 'manner, character, proper behavior') is the principle concerning the distinction between right and wrong or good and bad behavior..

These three theories of ethics (utilitarian ethics, deontological ethics, virtue ethics) form the foundation of normative ethics conversations.

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