dc.description.abstract | Moral dilemmas are considered to be the most difficult moral situation which we encountered in ordinary life. This thesis aims to examine the perplexity of this situation in details and profound way. Perplexity refers to the problems which prevent us from comprehending and resolving moral dilemmas. My main task in this thesis is to detect the problems and trying to trace back the sources which contribute to these problems. I divide the perplexity of moral dilemmas into two types: one is called the quandaries of resolution which appeared as the signal that moral dilemmas are irresolvable at all. The quandaries of resolution are considered as the main problems of the moral dilemmas. It can also be divided into two parts, namely, moral uncertainty and incommensurability and incomparability of values(AIV). Another type of the perplexity refers to the ideas or assumptions which we possess without being aware of its wrongfulness or misguidance. These ideas or assumptions are generally called the myths of understanding, they mislead us to the problematic ways while we trying to constitute the framework of resolution.
In chapter 2, I try to show that why moral uncertainty is hard to solve in certain ways, and that the source of its difficulty deriving from the change of the conceptual schemes to which we have not yet to prepare well to adjust our sources of understanding. In chapter 3, I construct a new definition of incomparability of values. After examining the connections between value types, incomparability of values and criterion of values, I found that different types of values have their own framework of values which determine their nature of criterion of values. By analyzing these frameworks of values, I conclude that the values which are subordinated to different frameworks, are difficult for us to compare their relative normative weight. If we try to resolve the moral dilemmas through comparing the conflicting values, different types of values will made the task harder or even fail. Finally, I explore the elements in moral dilemmas, and find out that there are two kinds of the frameworks of resolution; one is value-centered framework, while another is agent-centered framework. These frameworks reveal the diversity ways of how we understanding, designing and framing the resolution of moral dilemmas. However, they also manifest how we presupposing some wrong ideas about moral dilemmas which bring out a common belief that moral dilemmas are extremely difficult or even irresolvable. Those myths of thinking are considered to be the deepest sources of the perplexity of moral dilemmas.
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