Having ironed out any problems of definition, the next step in the process for resolving dilemmas is to establish a continuum of choice.

A continuum of choice maps out the various available responses to a problem. A continuum of choice for the problem, “What should we do about the use of performance-enhancing drugs by athletes?” might thus include the following options (of varying extremity):

• Legalise performance-enhancing drugs for all athletes.
• Increase out-of-competition testing of competitors.
• Increase the punishments for athletes caught cheating.
• Campaign against the use of performance-enhancing drugs.
• Ban sports in which drug-taking is a problem.

There are, of course, other options that would have to be included in order to give an exhaustive list of possible responses to the problem, but the above list is a start.

Once the various options have been identified, criteria of judgement must be established in order to give some basis for choosing between them.