Dilemma Reflection
Example
Jane is bothered by a magpie's nest opposite her block of flats. Other households in the block are not bothered by it however. Jane wants to know the appropriate attitude to adopt in view of the nuisance caused by the magpies.
Example
The reflector, Jane, introduces a dilemma. Opposite her block of flats there's a magpie's nest. As a resident of this block, Jane is bothered by the magpies. They make a lot of noise. Jane suggests to the other fifteen households that they remove the nest with the council's permission. Nine other households turn out to be in favour of the nest. They think it's educational and fun, especially for their children. They see it as 'nature' nearby their home and are happy to put up with a bit of noise?
Jane's moral question/dilemma is: How far may I (the moral actor) go in suppressing the nuisance caused by the magpies which I experience, while this is not a bother to others, but experienced instead as educational and fun? (step 1)
Participants discuss in groups. (step 2)
The facilitator notes the reasons given on a flip chart: (step 3)
A. Wherever there are people and animals there is noise. The world would be a sorry place if everyone who experienced a bit of nuisance got rid of the cause of it. Are there other solutions?
B. Well, if you leave the nest and there are more and more every year, I can imagine that Jane would want to do something about it now.
C. How does the nuisance caused compare to the pleasure experienced by the neighbours? If the children find it fun and educational and Jane is not driven completely mad, then she should see if she can bear it.
D. It's good that Jane starts a dialogue on this subject and checks people's opinions. But the majority is in favour of keeping the nest, so she will have to accept this. But, is that the fairest solution? Couldn't the residents find a common solution, with a bit of common sense?
The participants realise, after the group leader's explanation of the main currents in Ethics (stap 4), that their ways of reasoning can be placed in one of these currents: A fits into Duty Ethics, B & C fit into Consequentialism and D fits into Virtue Ethics. (step 5)
