There is No Dilemma of Dirty Hands

Abstract

I will examine here the moral and political problem of dirty hands. In doing so, I will deploy and further characterize the method of ethics — with its appeal to considered judgements, and with its distinctive kind of consequentialism — which I have elucidated and defended elsewhere.¹ However, an acquaintance with those writings is not presupposed, though, of course, it would be useful. It is often argued that politicians, and others as well, must sometimes take horrible (at least, normally completely unacceptable) measures to avoid even worse evils. They must, that is, sometimes dirty their hands to do what is right. When, if ever, are they justified in doing that? And in doing that, are they guilty of committing moral crimes?