Human dilemmas in fiction and real life
extreme situations
definition:
− special / unconventional situation
− psychological and/or physically challenging
− conflict between different emotions
− violent or non-violent
examples out of literature
1.To kill a mockingbird:
o being between law and conviction (Trial of Tom Robinson)
2. My son the fanatic:
o Parvez: between his own belief and values of being western orientated, the love to
his son and the will to understand him and the lack of understanding Ali´s new
believes being contrasting to his own
3. Othello:
o Othello: between love and jealousy
o Desdemona & Othello: between manipulation and betrayal
examples of today´s society:
1.arranged marriages
o married girl/boy: between wish to please the will of parents and the wish to be able to
choose freely out of love
o parents: between pity for the married ones and the need to fit the traditions and to
make sure to have enough money to live (getting from the marriage)
2. death
o between thankfulness for the death one being without pain and the mourning (Trauer)
for the lost person
types of dilemmas
dilemma: you have good reasons for each of the several possible options but you can only
choose one
moral dilemma: decision would have some positive results but is not compatible with moral
values or standards of behaviour
tragic dilemma/no-win situation: requires a choice between two or more alternatives, each
of which is undesirable, painful or horrible
social dilemma: short-term self-interest is in conflict with long-term collective interests
being different
− we are all different
− being different means standing out of other people, being dissimilar
, Being physically different Being psychological different
having different skin color (Othello) having a different sexual orientation
having different eyes (Asian people) feeling as a different sex/gender
having a specific outward appearance having a different culture/ traditions
(being thicker, always wearing black etc.)
having a different religion/believe
thinking different (own opinion)
examples
Atticus Finch: has his own idea of how to raise his children → gets appreciated for it
Othello: has different skin color → gets appreciated for his actions but seen with suspicion
caused by his skin color
possible solutions
- being appreciated because of being different and having different skills
- not being accepted – feeling lonely – getting hate
Science and technology
Science: tries to describe and explain phenomena of the natural world to make predictions
for the development of the future
Technology: technology tries to improve life by inventions of efficiently/productive character
Biotechnology
Definition: use of science and technology for living objects
example: cloning
adult being cloned (skin cells) + Adult female (egg – DNA removed) = combined with a
electric shook → surrogate mother → Baby (cloned)
used for:
- synthetically grown organs
- children for infertile parents
- identical donators (savior sibling)
+ -
eventual win against diseases potential mistakes
could save animals from dying out moral problems (second class citizens)
could save lives by clones clone army
synthetic organs can be produced would kill a human (clone) to save another
one
no individualism
overpopulation
question of laws
farmers are losing their jobs
need to kill millions of embryos
- creation of an organism that is an exact genetic copy of another
- every single bit of DNA is the same for both of them
- aim: create identical beings
extreme situations
definition:
− special / unconventional situation
− psychological and/or physically challenging
− conflict between different emotions
− violent or non-violent
examples out of literature
1.To kill a mockingbird:
o being between law and conviction (Trial of Tom Robinson)
2. My son the fanatic:
o Parvez: between his own belief and values of being western orientated, the love to
his son and the will to understand him and the lack of understanding Ali´s new
believes being contrasting to his own
3. Othello:
o Othello: between love and jealousy
o Desdemona & Othello: between manipulation and betrayal
examples of today´s society:
1.arranged marriages
o married girl/boy: between wish to please the will of parents and the wish to be able to
choose freely out of love
o parents: between pity for the married ones and the need to fit the traditions and to
make sure to have enough money to live (getting from the marriage)
2. death
o between thankfulness for the death one being without pain and the mourning (Trauer)
for the lost person
types of dilemmas
dilemma: you have good reasons for each of the several possible options but you can only
choose one
moral dilemma: decision would have some positive results but is not compatible with moral
values or standards of behaviour
tragic dilemma/no-win situation: requires a choice between two or more alternatives, each
of which is undesirable, painful or horrible
social dilemma: short-term self-interest is in conflict with long-term collective interests
being different
− we are all different
− being different means standing out of other people, being dissimilar
, Being physically different Being psychological different
having different skin color (Othello) having a different sexual orientation
having different eyes (Asian people) feeling as a different sex/gender
having a specific outward appearance having a different culture/ traditions
(being thicker, always wearing black etc.)
having a different religion/believe
thinking different (own opinion)
examples
Atticus Finch: has his own idea of how to raise his children → gets appreciated for it
Othello: has different skin color → gets appreciated for his actions but seen with suspicion
caused by his skin color
possible solutions
- being appreciated because of being different and having different skills
- not being accepted – feeling lonely – getting hate
Science and technology
Science: tries to describe and explain phenomena of the natural world to make predictions
for the development of the future
Technology: technology tries to improve life by inventions of efficiently/productive character
Biotechnology
Definition: use of science and technology for living objects
example: cloning
adult being cloned (skin cells) + Adult female (egg – DNA removed) = combined with a
electric shook → surrogate mother → Baby (cloned)
used for:
- synthetically grown organs
- children for infertile parents
- identical donators (savior sibling)
+ -
eventual win against diseases potential mistakes
could save animals from dying out moral problems (second class citizens)
could save lives by clones clone army
synthetic organs can be produced would kill a human (clone) to save another
one
no individualism
overpopulation
question of laws
farmers are losing their jobs
need to kill millions of embryos
- creation of an organism that is an exact genetic copy of another
- every single bit of DNA is the same for both of them
- aim: create identical beings
