Please read and consider the following ethical dilemma scenario and then complete the directions below it.
You are an emergency worker who has just been called to the scene of an accident. When you arrive, you see that the car belongs to your wife. Fearing the worst, you rush over to see she is trapped in her car with another man. She sees you and although barely conscious, she manages to mouth the words “I’m sorry”… You don’t understand, but her look answers your question. The man next to her is her lover with whom she’s been having an affair. You reel back in shock, devastated by what her eyes have just told you. As you step back, the wreck in front of you comes into focus. You see your wife is seriously hurt and she needs attention straight away. Even if she gets attention, there’s a very high chance she’ll die. You look at the seat next to her and see her lover. He’s bleeding heavily from a wound to the neck and you need to stop the flow of blood immediately. It will only take about 5 minutes to stop, but it will mean your wife will definitely die. If you tend to your wife, however, the man will bleed to death despite the fact it could have been avoided. Whom would you choose to work on?
Now, please complete the following to receive full credit for this discussion post:
- Explain what you would do if you were the emergency worker in this scenario and why.
- Please refer to the selection titled “Heinz’s Dilemma: Kohlberg’s Six Stages of Moral Development” on pages 282-89 in the Ethical Dilemmas PDF. It may also help to view this Kohlberg video that explains the stages.
- Explain which stage of moral development you would be in for the decision you made as the emergency worker in the ethical dilemma scenario and why. Use at least 1 direct quote from the selection to support your choice.
- Respond to at least 2 classmates’ posts after you have submitted your post. Each response is worth 5 points for a total of 10 points toward your grade on this discussion.
- Use Standard English, meaning that you should review your grammar, spelling, and mechanics prior to posting.
