Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In today’s world, marked by constant change, conflict, and crisis, the question of moral choice is gaining particular relevance. Extreme situations – those that go beyond everyday experience – confront individuals with the need to assume responsibility for their decisions in the face of threats, risks, and moral dilemmas. These circumstances demand not only ethical sensitivity but also the capacity for critical thinking. This article analyzes the moral challenges posed by the information society, armed conflicts, pandemics, artificial intelligence, automation, and ecological crises, which all require well-reasoned decisions under uncertainty. It emphasizes the importance of critical thinking as both a cognitive and moral tool, exploring mechanisms for comprehending ethical dilemmas and formulating a practical strategy for developing critical thinking in the context of moral self-determination and ethical functionality. The purpose of this article is to examine critical thinking as a mechanism for seeking moral orientation in extreme situations, taking into account historical experience and modern ethical challenges, especially when commonly accepted norms lose their clarity. Historical and contemporary research demonstrates that the ability to analyze, evaluate, and reinterpret ethical principles enables individuals to make well-informed decisions even under the most difficult circumstances. Thus, the development of critical thinking contributes to the formation of autonomous moral behavior, allowing individuals to navigate extreme situations guided not only by traditional social norms but also by internal ethical convictions. The synthesis of rational analysis with emotional sensitivity creates a foundation for ethical decision-making that meets the demands of the contemporary world. The practical significance of this research lies in establishing an ethical resource that promotes resilience, awareness, and a heightened sense of personal responsibility in extreme contexts. Thus, critical thinking is not only an intellectual skill, but also a moral basis for finding and adhering to a moral guide in borderline situations, which is confirmed by both historical experience and modern philosophical concepts.
Source: HUMANITIES STUDIES
Author: OLGA KYVLIUK
Language: English
Subfield: Philosophy
Field: Arts and Humanities
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4413061916