dilemma

A dilemma is a situation in which a person must choose between two or more options, each with unfavorable consequences or where no option provides a fully satisfactory outcome. Dilemmas are discussed in everyday decision making as well as in philosophy, ethics, law, and game theory.

There are several kinds of dilemmas. Moral or ethical dilemmas arise when competing values, duties, or loyalties conflict, such as whether to prioritize truth-telling over protecting someone’s privacy. Practical or strategic dilemmas involve constraints and trade-offs in resource allocation, negotiation, or planning. Social or game-theoretic dilemmas occur when individual incentives conflict with collective welfare, as in the prisoner's dilemma. In logic, a dilemma is also a formal argumentative structure that presents two or more propositions that lead to competing conclusions, often used to test reasoning.

Etymology and history: the term comes from the Greek di- “two” and lemma “premise,” later adopted into Latin and English. It has been used in philosophical and rhetorical traditions to describe problems that resist straightforward resolution.

Examples and thought experiments commonly associated with dilemmas include the trolley problem, a moral scenario about choosing between causing harm or allowing greater harm, and the prisoner's dilemma, which highlights cooperation versus self-interest in strategic choice.

Approaches to resolving dilemmas typically involve clarifying values and constraints, applying ethical frameworks (such as utilitarianism, deontology, or virtue ethics), evaluating potential harms and benefits, consulting stakeholders, and, when possible, seeking creative or less harmful compromises. Some dilemmas, by their nature, admit no perfect solution.