Ethical Dilemmas

1690 Words4 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Concept of friendship

In this paper, I will explore the question of the moral permissibility of intervening when I see and know of a close friend suffering with abuse and self-harm. This question touches on a larger debate as to the extent of a person’s autonomy, and if that can ever be overruled by someone else’s attempt to force a decision they believe is in the best interest of their friend. The specific example I will be focusing on is when the close friend explicitly tells me to not seek help on their behalf. It is a situation where I believe that she is not safe living at her home, and I am constantly scared that one day will be the day that something extremely serious occurs and I am never able to see my best friend again. I argue that is is morally permissible, …show more content…

My opponent will claim that there are other ways to address my own emotional and mental health (resulting from the knowledge of the abuse), that do not involve seeking professional help for my best friend. They will ask why I cannot just enroll in individual therapy sessions, or talk to a professional about my own feelings and not include my best friend in it? This sub-question about why I could not simply talk to my own therapist or professional can be answered by once again looking at the nature of the relationship between best friends. Part of my definition of that relationship involves the emotional investment that these types of friends have in each other’s lives. Whether rightly or wrongly (the debate about how healthy this type of best friend relationship is for both parties is outside the interests of this paper), my emotional well-being is fairly strongly connected to the well-being of my best friend. The only way I could take care of myself through therapy sessions is if I detached the emotional strings that connect my best friend and I, thereby breaking the friendship. A counterargument to and question pertaining to friendship cannot be simply to end the friendship. There would be no true, close friendships left in the world if every time someone was faced with a moral dilemma regarding their friend, the correct answer is just to ditch the friend all together—basically avoiding the dilemma

Show More
Related

  • Physician Assisted Suicide Case study

    929 Words  | 2 Pages

    This is a fascinating case because it presents the distinction between a patient’s right to refuse treatment and a physician’s assistance with suicide. Legally, Diane possessed the right to refuse treatment, but she would have faced a debilitating, painful death, so the issue of treatment would be a moot point. It would be moot in the sense that Diane seemed to refuse treatment because the odds were low, even if she survived she would spend significant periods of time in the hospital and in pain, and if she didn’t survive she would spend her last days in the hospital. If Diane were to merely refuse treatment and nothing else (as the law prescribes) than she would not have been able to avoid the death which she so dearly wanted to avoid.

    Read More

  • Terri Shiavo Summary

    802 Words  | 2 Pages

    The purpose of this paper is to summarize the case of Theresa Marie “Terri” Shiavo and examine how a few simple steps prior to her injury would have prevented a 15-year medical legal battle between her family members and the courts. The case opened several doors for self interest groups and caused much controversy in both state and federal court rooms. Fortunately, much awareness about healthcare priorities has come from the case. There has been much more emphasis placed on the education and use of advance directives and other health care conversations and plans that should be made if a person becomes unable to make decisions regarding care and treatment. Personally, I think it’s kind of sad that documentation of a simple conversation could have gone a long way and saved a lot of time and anguish to Mrs. Shiavos’ family and herself.

    Read More

  • Ethics in the Mental Health Profession

    1264 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the mental health profession of counseling, therapy, psychology, psychiatric and social services ethical dilemmas are faced primarily on a daily basis. Being that mental health professionals are working with clients who are often fragile and vulnerable, they must develop an intense awareness of ethical issues. On the other hand, mental health professionals would never intentionally harm their clients, students or colleagues and others whom they work with. Unfortunately, good intentions are not enough to ensure that wrong doings will not occur and mental health professionals have no choice but to make ethically determined decisions. Depending upon the experience and expertise of the professional determines the outcome of the ethical circumstance. For example, if you were practicing mental health professional and had a friend who’s a licensed psychologist, who is invited to attend the wedding of a patient that she has been seeing in court-ordered therapy for a year; what advice would you give your friend?

    Read More

  • Benchmark Assignment: Ethical Dilemmas Of Abortion

    1213 Words  | 3 Pages

    Abortion has been a political, social, and personal topic for many years now. The woman’s right to choose has become a law that is still debated, argued and fought over, even though it has been passed. This paper will examine a specific example where abortion is encouraged, identify the Christian world views beliefs and resolution as well as the consequences of such, and compare them with another option.

    Read More

  • Involuntary Treatment Case Study

    1258 Words  | 3 Pages

    Issues relating to involuntary commitment laws revolve around patient autonomy used for and against involuntary treatment. The restoration of autonomy in patient who were once unable to make their own decisions was the goal of treatment. It was presumed that patients in need of treatment were also incapable of decision making. An argument can be made that ethical principles are the underlying the reasoning’s for the promotion of good, and the prevention of harm rather than patient autonomy. Patient autonomy comes from Emmanuel Kant’s ideal of respecting the person, which takes into account the patients liberties.

    Read More

  • Pros And Cons Of Ethica Ethical Dilemma

    890 Words  | 2 Pages

    Life begins with conception for both humans and animals. Not all women are able to conceive or carry a child to full terms. There are some women who want to be pregnant and cannot for some reason or another and then there are some that do not want to get pregnant, but end up pregnant. I have been asked or heard other people asked the question, so what do you want to have, a girl or a boy? The majority of the answer I receive or have said myself is, “It does not matter as long as the baby is healthy.” That answer is fine and all, but what if you find out that your baby will have Down syndrome? Will you abort the baby? Abortion in the United States today is a sensitive subject for a lot of people. Each year in the U.S. 1.1 million abortions take place. Nearly 1 in 4 (22%) of pregnancies end in abortion. 50% of women now seeking abortion have at least one previous abortion.

    Read More

  • Examples Of Ethical Conundrum

    1086 Words  | 3 Pages

    I selected the article, “Can I Tell a Dying Friend’s Secret to His Children?” I selected this article

    Read More

  • Therapy vs Friendship: Differences in Problem Resolution

    723 Words  | 2 Pages

    Many people seek therapy for a variety of reasons. Comer (2014) states “that people who seek therapy compared to those who don’t experience greater improvement than seventy five percent of people who don’t get treatment” (pg. 91). This statistic shows there a clear correlation between therapy and problem resolution. What’s the difference between a professional helping relationship that is established in therapy and a having a friend who you have social relationship with hear your problem, aren’t they essentially the same thing? I’ll discuss how a professional helping relationship differs in structure and content from a social friendship and its value in problem resolution.

    Read More

  • Melinda Depression In Speak

    846 Words  | 2 Pages

    Melinda makes minimal contact with her friends and as a consequence, loses her friends after these actions. Little did Melinda’s friends know, she was avoiding them unintentionally. On the first day of school, when Melinda sees her friends again, she realizes they want nothing to do with her. “I see a few friends, people I used to think were my friends, but they look away” (Anderson 8). This quote proves that Melinda was able to understand that her friends were not really her friends anymore. There are many reasons why victims may isolate themselves after this experience. “Victims are three times more likely to suffer from depression, six times more likely to suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder, 13 times more likely to abuse alcohol, 26 times more likely to abuse drugs, and four times more likely to contemplate suicide” (Who are the Victims 3). This quote from the article may help readers understand why victims suffer from diagnosis’ like depression, which cause them to isolate themselves. As a final point, victims of sexual assaults can connect to Melinda because they may isolate themselves after this type of

    Read More

  • Physician Assisted Suicide Argumentative Essay

    1635 Words  | 4 Pages

    There are four reasons discussed in this paper in support of physician-assisted suicide. First and foremost, patients not having the right to their death at their own will brings into question where the patient’s autonomy lies. Respecting patient autonomy is critical, not having the right to die endangers a patient’s autonomy. Medical ethics support a patient’s right to refuse treatment, which can include life sustaining treatment (Sulmasy and Mueller). Logically, if a patient can legally refuse life-sustaining treatment, which will consequently end their life on their own terms, they should also be able to take a prescribed lethal dose to end their life on their own terms.

    Read More

  • Auther Personal Ethical Dilemmas

    640 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the case, the situation happened in a rural area a developing South American country, which has a lack of food, water, education, medical care and healthy style. The pediatric team raised fund to help children, who suffered from diseases in this country, and the benefactors provide the solicited money to finance the laboratory testing, diagnosis imaging and surgeries due to children needs "the voluntary mission". In fact, there was approximately 25 child in need of medical care (19 children with hernia, 4 children with congenital cardiac malformations, 2 chilren with foot club and a child with neurocystericosis). Most of the issues happened while they were struggling to live "chores". However, the fund was not enough to treat all

    Read More

  • Mock Therapy Paper

    930 Words  | 2 Pages

    The client stated that she came to therapy because she has been feeling really lonely and feeling as though that she is not enough since the death of her father. After the death of her father, her mother did not pay her any attention; she understood that her mother was grieving, especially when her grandfather passed a year later. I stated that the frequent death that surrounded her mother, seem to have caused her mother to distance herself from her. She responded “yes, and it even gotten worse when my mom started to date and eventually marry my stepfather”. She mentioned that once her little sister was born, she became jealous and envious. I emphasized with her by stating that she must have felt as though her little sister was going to take the attention that she sought from her mother. After confirming that her mother paid more attention to her sister and stepfather, she mentioned that during this time she began to cut herself in places that no one would notice. The pain did not take the feeling away, but she wanted to know that if she could still feel pain after the thought of losing everything. However, the only person who paid her any attention during this time, was her grandmother. Her grandmother showed her the love that her mother nor “father figure” never showed her. I stated, “the love that your grandmother showed was not the love you were

    Read More

  • Mental Health and Assisted Suicide

    1548 Words  | 4 Pages

    It is obvious to the TV viewer that under the banners of compassion and autonomy, some are calling for legal recognition of a "right to suicide" and societal acceptance of "physician-assisted suicide." Suicide proponents evoke the image of someone facing unendurable suffering who calmly and rationally decides death is better than life in such a state. They argue that society should respect and defer to the freedom of choice such people exercise in asking to be killed. This essay intends to debunk this point of view on the basis of mental illness among those patients involved.

    Read More

  • Ethical Dilemma Assignment

    2679 Words  | 6 Pages

    In this assignment we will be identifying an ethical dilemma an individual has experienced. We will begin with a short introduction of what an ethical dilemma is, moving on to providing brief details of the dilemma an individual has experienced. We will then go on to selecting one ethical theory, to show how it can help an individual understand and deal with the situation when placed within, followed by a conclusion.

    Read More

  • Ethical Dilemma Case Study

    1453 Words  | 3 Pages

    Everyone in this world has experienced an ethical dilemma in different situations and this may arise between one or more individuals. Ethical dilemma is a situation where people have to make complex decisions and are influenced based on personal interest, social environment or norms, and religious beliefs (“Strategic Leadership”, n.d.). The leaders and managers in the company should set guidelines to ensure employees are aware and have a better chance to solve and make ethical decisions. Employees are also responsible in understanding their ethical obligations in order to maintain a positive work environment. The purpose of this case study is to identify the dilemma and analyze different decisions to find ways on how a person should act

    Read More

More about Ethical Dilemmas

Open Document