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DECISION PROCESSES

Analyzing and Resolving Ethical Problems*

1. Decomposing Moral Problems: The Three Components
   1. Factual Question
      1. Questions a fact that is relevant to the moral problem that is controversial
      2. If problem is a factual disagreement it will be very hard to resolve
   2. Conceptual Question
      1. Questions the meaning of a term or concept
      2. Because people interpret terms and concepts in various ways, this type of problem needs to be solved by looking at the facts in addition to the term or concept that is most generally accepted by the majority
   3. Ethical Question
      1. Questions how the action or person should be evaluated.
      2. These question fall into two categories:
         1. Conflict problems: an issue cannot be resolved because all moral obligations cannot be met simultaneously
         2. Line-drawing problems: an issue falls somewhere in between actions that are definitively right and those that are definitively wrong
2. Conflict Problems
   1. Types of Choices
      1. Easy Choices
         1. One obligation is clearly more applicable/important to follow in a certain situation
         2. This decision is not easy to carry out, but it is easy to know what should be done in the situation
      2. Creative Middle Ways
         1. A solution that honors several obligations, but perhaps not in their purest form
         2. Necessary to compromise among several competing obligations
      3. Hard Choices
         1. Situation in which several competing obligations are important and cannot be compromised
         2. This choices are extremely hard to make, and learning how to avoid them is a major concept when learning engineering ethics
         3. If these choices are necessary, it is important to employ tact, good communication, and common sense
   2. Devising a Solution
      1. Arrange options into a series
         1. Most creative-middle-way solution
         2. Less desirable solutions
         3. Hard choices
      2. Weigh all of the options
         1. Decide which options meet the most criteria
         2. Continue to narrow down list until best option surfaces
3. Line-Drawing Problems
   1. Cases
      1. Questionable case
         1. Case in question
      2. Paradigm case
         1. Case in which there is no question
         2. Used as a comparison to a questionable case
         3. Two types:
            1. Positive: action is clearly morally right
            2. Negative: action is clearly morally wrong
      3. Intermediate case
         1. Cases that can be placed between two paradigm cases
   2. Devising a Solution
      1. Look at similarities and differences between questionable case and the paradigm and intermediate cases
      2. Important to keep the moral significance, and not only the similarities and differences, in mind
      3. Decide where the questionable case fits among the paradigm and intermediate cases

*As cited in Harris, Charles E. Jr., et al. Practicing Engineering Ethics. New York: The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers, Inc., 1997.

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