The uncertainty of an ethical decision arises because

• A. All of these choices are correct
• B. May use different sources of information
• C. May rank various rights in different ways
• D. May not share the same meaning of justice

Answer: (A)

Uncertainty in ethical decision-making comes from the fact that you’re weaving together different kinds of input, each with its own weight and potential conflict. Different sources of information—facts, evidence, expert opinion, laws, and personal values—can point in opposite directions, so you don’t have a single clear answer. Rights often compete: what counts as the most important right in one situation may clash with another (for example, autonomy versus safety or privacy versus transparency), and different ethical theories prioritize those rights differently. Justice itself isn’t one fixed idea; some people emphasize fair procedures, others focus on fair outcomes, and still others stress restorative or distributive aspects. When all these dimensions are in play, the decision becomes uncertain because there isn’t a single rule that resolves every facet. All of these factors together explain why ethical decisions can be uncertain.