This document discusses engaging in ethics and moral thinking by examining the Heinz dilemma of whether a man should steal a drug to save his wife. It explores balancing conflicting demands in moral dilemmas and different approaches to values including non-moral values, moral values, consequentialism, deontology, and virtue theory. The document emphasizes considering diverse viewpoints and how potential actions could affect stakeholders while avoiding dogmatism or relativism when making ethical decisions.

1. Values and Reasons
Engaging in Ethics

3. The Heinz Dilemma
Should Heinz steal a drug if it is the only way he might save his
wife?
Answering the dilemma requires us to struggle with simultaneous
conflicting demands.

4. Engaging in Ethics
• Moral Thinking
• Values
• Non-moral Values
• Moral Values

5. Non-Moral Values

6. The Promise of Ethical
Engagement
• Diverse Viewpoints and Creative Solutions
• The Logging Case
• Roadblocks to Doing Ethics
• Dogmatism
• Relativism
• Grasping for Facts

7. Reason and Emotion

8. Grouping Values
• Goods (Consequentialism)
• Rights (Deontology)
• Virtues (Virtue Theory)

9. Which Question Comes First?
What
makes an
action
good?
What
makes a
person
good?

10. Final Thoughts
• Here are some questions about any ethical dilemma:
• Who (or what) are the potential stakeholders? What interests do
they have that might be affected by potential actions? How might
they be harmed or benefited?
• What rights might be in play, and whose rights? What duties do
these rights impose on others? What interests do the rights
protect?
• What would a good person do in a situation such as this? Are the
circumstances such that a good person would judge the situation
as one in which a different action is appropriate? Does the action
being considered reflect the action of a good character, or a
person of integrity?