Quote Originally Posted by wm View Post
As long as we are able to describe differently who and what we are in various contexts, we will have these struggles.
The struggles lie, I think, not only in complex, varied, and sometimes potential contradictory underpinnings, but also in the unknowability of "consequence" and the difficulting in measuring (and, indeed, the incommensurability) of the benefits and hurts involved.

An essential step, as you suggest, is to grapple with the problem. Indeed, the greatest moral and practical danger (whether as scholars, aid workers, or the military) lurks when we avoid grappling, or wish it away, in the name of getting the job done (Interestingly, this was Kirk's solution to the Kobayashi Maru test--I'll admit to being far better on Roddenberry than Kant ).

A second useful step is to have to convincingly articulate your moral reasoning to others, whether research ethics boards, or the chain of command.