In the process of training, communication or work, foreign words are often found, and some have completely understandable Russian synonyms, while others do not. For example, a dilemma - what is it? Article will help to understand.
Two definitions
This beautiful and not very clear word has two whole meanings. One relates to the field of logic or philosophy, and the other to psychology or sociology. Consider both definitions:
- A combination of two opposing judgments, but without the ability to formulate a third.
- A situation in which you have to choose from two solutions, since they are opposite in meaning and give rise to difficulties of the same scale.
It is the second meaning that is most often implied in book and journalistic speech. Hence the expression: “unsolvable dilemma”, “dangerous dilemma”, etc. In a certain sense, it is consonant with the well-known expression “no third is given.” Such situations are not uncommon in everyday life. The simplest example: a person needs to decide whether to stay on a well-paid job, which is a burden for him, or change it to a more pleasant one, but which brings significantly less income.
Varieties
So the dilemma is what? What often happens in life. In addition, there are various types of this phenomenon.
For example, in a purely scientific definition, the constructive and destructive versions are distinguished. You can read more about them in the textbook of logic. And in the well-known sense, social dilemmas are distinguished, among which are ethical, moral, environmental, as well as situations with the intriguing names "prisoner's dilemma", "secretary's dilemma" and "Samaritan dilemma". Let us dwell on some of these varieties.
Ethical
Ethics is a branch of philosophy that studies morality (the rules of behavior accepted in a given society) and morality (it can be a synonym for morality or mean the rules of life for a particular person). The range of ethical issues: good and evil, freedom and responsibility, the meaning of life, conscience, duty, happiness.
Thus, an ethical dilemma is a situation in which these and similar issues are raised. Most often, one has to choose between what is right (from the point of view of morality), but unprofitable, and what is bad for others, but beneficial to the chooser.
In social relations, an ethical dilemma is, for example, consumer safety, rights and discrimination, professional ethics, corruption, etc.
Moral
One of the most difficult situations that you can get into. You must choose one of the mutually exclusive options, and both will not bring anything good.
The moral dilemma is a frequent plot twist in fiction. In these cases, death usually appears. For example, the protagonist must choose: sacrifice himself for the salvation of others or not; which of two friends to help, because he manages to save only one; whether to leave the wounded in order to bring help; during difficult births to save either a child or a mother, etc.
People usually prefer not to think about such issues. And for those who think, the hypothetical choice may not coincide with the real one if a real dilemma arises. This, which is important, often happens in extreme situations.
How to solve
Any solution to the dilemma is to search for the safest option of the two or combine them into something like a compromise. To come to this, we need the inner work of a person with himself.
You can act on this algorithm:
1. To state what the dilemma consists of.
2. Collect and analyze known information from all sides.
3. Search for options other than the two opposite and obvious. Check each solution found for:
- correctness (on a personal moral scale);
- utility;
- morality;
- legality.
4. From the list of solutions to exclude completely unacceptable options.
5. By the method of exclusion, leave one.
6. Check the selected solution in three ways:
- imagine that you did this; what you feel, whether you want to do everything differently;
- Imagine how the decision will affect your family;
- imagine the reaction of your social environment (friends, colleagues, neighbors, acquaintances); Can you survive it?
8. Give the rationale for the decision (what it will give you or what it will save from).
9. To analyze the negative consequences that may lead to the adoption of this decision.
Dilemma game
This concept has an unusual definition. It is connected with the theory of psychological games. The “Prisoner Dilemma” is an example of the harm that a lack of cooperation between people can cause.
The situation itself is detective in nature: two prisoners are charged with irrefutable evidence of their guilt. For both, the dilemma is that you need to either cooperate with the police or not. The following rules apply:
- if both cooperate, receive a period of 7 years each;
- if both refuse to help the police, they sit down for 3 years;
- if only one cooperates, then he receives only 1 year, but the second prisoner goes to prison for 10 years.
Thus, the most profitable option is the third (each player tries to betray the other and do it as quickly as possible). But there are two optimal options: to both cooperate or to conspire and be silent together.
A similar example can explain the political, social and economic processes (arms race, competition between two companies for market leadership, price war, environmental crime, etc.).
The dilemma is (what is important!) Not a synonym for the word “problem”. After all, the latter may have a ton of decisions, while not completely mutually exclusive. Namely, this sign determines whether the dilemma is in front of you or not.