Three general causes of ethical dilemmas are:

• A. Uncertainty
• B. Competing values
• C. Potential harm
• D. Uncertainty, competing values, and potential harm

Answer: (D)

Ethical dilemmas occur when uncertainty, competing values, and potential harm intersect. Uncertainty means the right course of action isn’t clear from rules or norms. Competing values happen when two or more important duties pull you in different directions, such as honesty vs. loyalty or fairness vs. safety. Potential harm reminds you that any choice could injure someone, undermine trust, or damage outcomes. When all three are present, you’re facing a genuine dilemma because no option cleanly satisfies every concern, and you must weigh trade-offs among what’s morally right, what you value most, and the consequences. If only one factor is at play, the situation is typically less about a moral trade-off and more about choosing the best action under a single guiding consideration.