Overview
Imagine a child who loses a favorite toy. Instead of feeling sad about the loss, they can think of it as a lesson learned about taking care of their belongings and cherish the memories with it.
The Choice
Anders must choose to tell the truth or recreate the project.
Quick Stats
- Grade Band
- Grades 6-8
- Reading Level
- Level 8.637042548244597
- Word Count
- 253 words
- Published
- Mar 23, 2026
The Dilemma
Anders and Eun-Kyung are working on a school project together. They've spent weeks collecting data and creating a presentation. On the day of the presentation, Anders accidentally spills water on his laptop, causing it to malfunction. The project file is lost, and there's no backup. Eun-Kyung is upset, as they both had put in a lot of effort. Anders feels guilty and faces a dilemma. He can either tell the teacher the truth about the accident, risking a lower grade for both of them, or he can try to recreate the project quickly, possibly compromising the quality. Anders now faces a choice: (A) Tell the teacher about the accident or (B) Attempt to recreate the project quickly.
Values in Tension
This dilemma explores the tension between two important values:
Consider how these values might conflict or complement each other in this situation.
Your Options
Tell the teacher about the accident
Attempt to recreate the project quickly
Questions for Reflection
Take a moment to consider these questions. There are no "right" answers – the goal is to explore different perspectives and develop your own reasoning.
- 1
What would you do, and why?
- 2
How does 'Perspective on Loss' apply here?
- 3
What are the consequences of each choice?
- 4
How might Epictetus advise Anders here?
- 5
Turn & tell: What would our class consider the proper action here, and why?
Did you like this dilemma?
Philosophical Perspective
Insights from Epictetus
Take a moment to form your own thoughts first, then click to explore philosophical perspectives.
