A dilemma is a situation in which a person faces a choice between two or more options, each of which carries significant drawbacks or challenges. The term is often associated with moral or ethical considerations, where the options may involve conflicting values, principles, or consequences.
Dilemmas can manifest in various forms, such as:
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Moral Dilemmas: Situations where a person must choose between two moral principles, both of which have compelling reasons for being upheld. For example, choosing whether to lie to protect someone's feelings or tell the truth and risk hurting them.
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Practical Dilemmas: Scenarios where one must decide between two practical choices, both of which involve trade-offs. For instance, deciding whether to spend limited time on work commitments or personal relationships.
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Philosophical Dilemmas: These often delve into deeper ethical questions and can involve theoretical constructs such as the Trolley Problem, where one must decide whether to sacrifice one person to save several others.
The essence of a dilemma lies in its challenging nature, where the decision-maker often feels a sense of conflict or pressure. It asks the individual to weigh the consequences of their choices carefully, highlighting the complexity of human decision-making.
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