Some of us think of ethical conflicts as having an ideal resolution, where we can discuss the scenario and assign blame to someone who would dare to arrive at a different decision. This is often reinforced by ethics discussions, where we assess a scenario and scoff at how the transgressor should know better and be subjected to punishment. “How can those people be so unethical!” we think to ourselves. However, an ethical conflict is not always a situation where a clear answer is apparent. Therefore, before deciding what the “right” answer is, let’s step back and reassess. What could lead us to make another decision and, by extension, lead another person to make a choice different from ours? Could they still be behaving ethically, and if so, can we define an ethical person solely through their actions, or do we need to understand their decision process? I propose that giving some thought to these issues can be very important in understanding ethics and providing sound mentoring.
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