1. Briefly identify and describe an actual ethical dilemma you have faced (either professional or personal life is fine). Identify the values that were in conflict, explain how they conflicted, and how they related to your own personal values. What are the defining ethical issues? You may use a dilemma you are currently facing if you like.
2. Apply each of the ethical frameworks from the Ethics Toolkit to the dilemma (this should be a major emphasis in the paper). Articulate and analyze what course of action each perspective would most strongly support in your dilemma:
a. Deontology – What principles, duties, or rights pertained to this dilemma? Did any conflict? What would Kant’s categorical imperative dictate that you do?
b. Utilitarianism – Identify multiple stakeholders and the harms and benefits for each. Articulate the consequences of a variety of alternative
solutions
c. Virtue Ethics – How did your decisions reflect and/or shape your character? How comfortable would you have been you’re your decision being publicized?
d. Social Contract Theory– Consider the societal obligations (including laws, contracts, and implicit promises) that bore upon the dilemma. How closely did you meet your obligations?
e. Ethics of Care – Which parties were most vulnerable in the dilemma? How did special relationships factor into your decision-making?
3. Discuss what you learned from this analysis. Did using these frameworks raise new issues or ideas that you hadn’t considered before? How do you evaluate your actions in retrospect? How would respond differently today?
