Our everyday lives and also governmental lives require many decisions to be made when there are genuine moral dilemmas. Even if we have only one value, we may encounter a dilemma. Suppose the value is to be kind to people. If I am kind to Alice, maybe I upset Zoe - and if I am kind to Zoe, maybe I upset Alice.
Perhaps, with just the one value of 'upset', we could do some sort of calculation to decide which action I ought to do (though that, of course, has problems); but how should we set about such decision-making when the decision-making involves values that, at least on the surface, cannot be measured against each other?
Some examples:
Many governments over the last few years have been required to assess the values of free speech and not being detained without being charged, against the value of protecting society against terrorist acts. How can one measure quantity of freedom against quantity of security?
Many of us support voluntary euthanasia - yet how can that right for the individual to dispose of his life be measured against (arguably) slippery slope dangers or the offence caused to some religious believers?
Consider the right to life. Governments love saying that (human) life is precious, providing medical care is top priority (well, in Europe), yet, of course, funding levels of medical services are affected by how much funding goes towards other projects - the arts, defence, government parties.
Now, reflect on the motley crew of values in ethics - fairness, justice, autonomy, free speech, free expression, welfare provision, happiness, rights over one's bodily organs, rights to property, equality, quality of life, quantity of life. Are we - and governments - deluding ourselves when we think that we can in some way 'balance' and 'weigh up' such considerations against each other?
My books on philosophical perplexities - and, indeed, the one on Humanism - bring to the fore in part various cutting examples which highlight particular clashes. I should love to know if there are any reliable and good answers or whether - as I am inclined to say - we muddle through, often hiding behind the illusion that mysteriously we are somehow weighing things up properly.
