For teachers
Ethical dilemmas for students, ready for class discussion
Short, concrete dilemmas work better in a classroom than abstract theory. Everyone can have an opinion in ten seconds, and defending it is where the thinking starts.
Each dilemma on dilemmas.day comes with the real split of how people voted, so your class can compare itself with the rest of the world.
How to run a 15-minute dilemma discussion
This format works from secondary school up, in ethics, philosophy, civics or tutoring sessions.
- Read the dilemma aloud. Do not comment on it yet.
- Secret vote: slips of paper, eyes closed and hands up, or everyone on their phone at dilemmas.day. The secrecy matters; people copy each other otherwise.
- Reveal the class split, then the world split from the dilemma's page. Differences are a great discussion starter.
- Ask someone from the minority to explain their choice first.
- Swap sides: each student argues the option they did not pick for one minute.
Questions that work with any dilemma
- What would have to change in the situation for you to choose the other option?
- Who is harmed by each choice, and who is responsible for that harm?
- Would you choose differently if nobody would ever find out?
- Is doing nothing also a choice here?
- Which rule are you following, and would you want everyone to follow it?
A few to start with
Recent dilemmas that tend to split a room. Open any of them for the full result, the vote by country and what each option meant.
Sacrifice
You lead a rescue team after an earthquake. Your brother is trapped in an unstable sector. Sending your team to get him risks their lives in an imminent collapse.
51% Order retreatSend the team 49%213 votes
Loyalty
Your coworker, who is battling cancer, stole expensive office equipment to fund their treatment. If you stay silent, an innocent intern will be blamed and fired.
49% Stay silentReport them 51%560 votes
Loyalty
Your brother committed embezzlement to pay off a life-threatening debt. The police are accusing an innocent coworker of yours, who faces 10 years in prison unless you speak up.
47% Keep quietTurn him in 53%426 votes
Loyalty
Your 17-year-old daughter hits a pedestrian and flees. The police blame an innocent delivery driver who was passing by, who now faces 6 years in prison. You have the dashcam footage that clears the driver but incriminates your daughter.
50% Destroy the footageHand in the footage 50%428 votes
Sacrifice
You are a mountain guide caught in a blizzard. Your younger brother is injured and cannot walk. If you stay to carry him, the group of four hikers you are guiding will get lost and die. If you lead the group down, your brother will freeze to death.
47% Lead the groupStay with him 53%583 votes
Sacrifice
You work to the limit to keep your home. Your 17-year-old child studies constantly for a scholarship to escape poverty. If they don't help with your job now, you will lose the house and fall severely ill. If they help, they lose the scholarship.
47% I push through aloneI ask for help 53%190 votes
Questions from teachers
- What age are these dilemmas suitable for?
- Some involve death, crime or infidelity, so read them first and pick the ones that fit your group. As a rule they suit secondary school students and older.
- Do students need an account?
- No. Anyone can vote on the daily dilemma without signing up, and every past dilemma can be opened without an account.
- Is it free?
- Yes, completely. There are no ads.