Difficult choices usually entail moral dilemmas

By Deepak and Hema Thiagarajan

JAKARTA (JP): Some time ago in Chicago, U.S., the infant son of Rudy Linares swallowed a balloon and consequently stopped breathing. The baby remained in a coma after the balloon was surgically removed. He needed a respirator to breath, and the doctors said his condition would not improve.

Rudy and his family looked after the baby for weeks. Then, unable to bear the pressure any longer, Rudy was convinced his son should die a natural death. Rudy pleaded with the hospital to disconnect his son's life support system, but they refused.

Rudy didn't stop fighting. He sought legal help, but because his son Sammy still showed brain wave activity, and was therefore not considered to be brain dead, the courts decided to continue with the life support.

Nine months after the tragic accident, Rudy decided to end his son's life himself.

Rudy unplugged the respirator for his son. The nurse immediately called the security guards. As the security guards waited and watched, Rudy cradled Sammy in his arms as the baby peacefully died.

Later, when asked why he risked 20 years in jail or even the electric chair, Rudy replied, "I did what I had to do... I did it because I loved my son."

Difficult choices usually entail moral dilemmas. The moral dilemma Rudy faced was complicated because neither of the choices were altogether good or bad.

Neither of the two choices -- to unplug the respirator or to let his son live as a vegetable for the rest of his life -- was good. From his point of view, however, unplugging the respirator was the least of the two evils.

Only if people are free to choose or to act, they can be held morally responsible for what they do.

It isn't easy to make a decision when what is right and what is wrong is not clear. Both Rudy's alternatives were awful.

The best choice under the circumstances may actually be morally wrong.

Conscience

Most people have made decisions that go against their consciences. Students are taught, know and even state that cheating is immoral, yet they continue to do it.

Researchers found that when left alone to work in front of a mirror and asked to listen to a tape-recorded, only 7 percent of students cheated. When left completely alone, nearly three out of four students cheated as time ran out. What led the group of students to be self-conscious in the first test? The students assumed that they were being watched from the other side of the mirror. The tape-recorded voice further confirmed the assumption.

One reason we go against our consciences is that we are torn between loyalty towards friends, family, employees and governments.

A person without a job may be able to live without eating for many days. When the same person has a family depending on him, he is forced to steal to obtain food. He steals even though he knows it is wrong because he cannot let his family starve. Moral dilemmas such as this entail a struggle to decide what is best.

Cultural advancement also entails a struggle. In the late 1970s, Indonesia was considered to be less-developed than America or Europe. Looking at this opportunity, companies like Coca-Cola, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Toyota, with modern technologies, were introduced. Indonesian elders considered the companies a threat to their cultural values, beliefs, ideas and above all to their way of living. To keep up with the modern world, however, they decided to employ the new policies of modernization. Today, because of that tough decision, Indonesia is one of the most industrialized countries in Asia. It is also foreseen that because of that tough decision, Indonesia will become one of the most industrialized countries in the world.

Going against friends, family or colleagues to protect your conscience can be awkward.

For instance, when a friend makes a unfair or rude comment about the class lecturer, it is easier to go along than to follow your conscience and defend the lecturer.

Moral certainty

Moral certainty allows certainty in decision making. People who know what is morally right have clear-cut and absolute principles. They may not be necessarily right; they are only certain about being right. They stick to what they believe in.

Moral certainty can be easily seen in people with strict religious upbringing. All religions teach straightforward definitions of what is right and what is wrong. Moral certainty is considerably reduced among people who are brought up under situations where they make a choice from a wide range of options. It is apparently more difficult to narrow down so many options.

Decision making always involves uncertainty but is made easier by moral certainty. For instance, when a student applies to a certain university and is not selected, she will be at first upset but will eventually calm down if she knows she did her best.

Even when the results are tragic, many people take the relief in knowing they did their best.

Other people are morally uncertain; they cannot make any moral decisions on their own. They depend on others to make their moral decisions for them, and perhaps perform the moral action for them. Still, others do not make a decision at all.

When faced with a moral dilemma it helps to seek advice from people whose opinions you respect. Just talking it through can help develop your perspective. In addition, the support of other people is good because it gives you confidence in your actions.

To be autonomous and independent, you have to make your own moral decisions.

In order to make a decision you are comfortable with, you must first be confident. Look at the problem carefully and see how it affects your conscience. This will help you to come up with a solution that agrees with you and, most importantly, your conscience. Thinking how others might feel is also important, but not more important that how you feel.