Temptations are choices between good and bad, better and worse.
Dilemmas are choices between good and good or bad and bad.
Temptations occur when you know what is best to do, and you do not want to do it.
Dilemmas occur when you genuinely can't figure out what is the better thing to do.
The key to solving dilemmas is to be the proper sort of person.
1. Living regularly in the B+/A range. Being virtuous, wanting to follow the principles.
2. Being in the position of authority to make the decision.
3. Recognizing the choice as a genuine dilemma.
4. Is as well-informed as possible.
5. Loves those affected, involved.
6. Prays.
7. Regrets whatever choice is made, which proves it was a real dilemma.
We must be extremely cautious about criticizing dilemma decisions from the outside.
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I had it, then I admit I lost it. Is a dilemma like choosing the lesser of 2 evils? If the situation calls for it that is? How do we know what prinicples to follow? Should they be God's or man's? For example, the story of Antigone, was that a dilemma or a temptation? Usually people associate temptations with pleasures, of the flesh, of the mind, of the senses, etc. But are temptations limited to just that? I maybe be thinking too hard on this and overlooking some simple truth.
ReplyDeleteIn some sense, yes, picking a C+ over a C is somewhat of a dilemma, in the sense that better alternatives aren't available. Nonetheless, if it's fairly easy to know that one is a C+ and the other a C, then this is not that hard to solve and really a temptation, not a dilemma. Dilemmas are where both of the options are C- (or B, or A, for that matter), but where which one is better and which one worse doesn't seem to show up clearly.
ReplyDeleteIf I am pushed to be more precise, a temptation occurs anytime you personally desire to do a morally inferior option. Of course, in some sense, why would you ever have difficulty doing the morally better thing unless you had personal temptation to do the inferior thing?