Ethical dilemmas create a challenge between two or more equally alternative issues requiring moral judgment. This creates both an obligation and a dilemma for those involved. Living in a globalized world with borders, races and intercultural ideas; negotiating what is considered morally “right” can sometimes be very difficult. Religion and laws have a major impact on ethical duties. What an individual may consider a right cannot be guaranteed by the government or a political party. The overcrowded lifeboat is just one example where all of the above ideas come into play in ethical decisions. In 1842, tragedy struck when a ship struck an iceberg and more than thirty passengers crowded onto a lifeboat meant to hold a maximum of seven people. people. When a storm became evident and water rushed into the lifeboat, it was clear that for anyone to survive, the load would have to be lightened. The captain in command suggested that some people would have to be thrown overboard for anyone to survive. There was a big argument on the boat between the captain and the passengers who opposed his decision. Some suggested that the weakest should be drowned, as miles of rowing the lifeboat would take their toll on even the strongest. This reasoning would also make it absurd to draw names on those who should be overthrown. Others suggested that if they all remained on board, no one would be responsible for these deaths, although the captain argued that he would be culpable if those he could have saved perished in the process. Alternatively, the captain decided that the weakest would be sacrificed in order to save the few remaining on the lifeboat. A few days later, the survivors were rescued and the captain was put on trial for his virtues. The decision maker...... middle of paper ... would have an ethical say over their rights. We live in a diverse world and every person should be allowed to have different beliefs, values, opinions and rights. Ethics and moral judgment will always continue to be a controversial topic due to the different beliefs of those living in the world. A person's environment and upbringing are different from those of almost all human beings; no two people are the same. As a healthcare specialist, it is our duty to uphold standards of professional conduct and codes of ethics. We must respect the decisions of others and be held accountable for our own personal mistakes. In the case of The Overcrowded Lifeboat, making a vital decision regarding the lives of those involved can be a major controversy. The question of whether a situation can be considered moral will never be answered and is left to the interpretation of the solitary individual..