Dilemma

Dilemma

Dilemma (/dɪˈlɛmə/; from Ancient Greek: δίλημμα "double proposition") is a situation in which a difficult choice has to be made between two or more alternatives, especially ones that are equally undesirable.

Etymology

The term "dilemma" is derived from the Ancient Greek words "di" meaning "two" and "lemma" meaning "premise" or "assumption". It was first used in English in the early 16th century.

Related Terms

• Decision Making: The cognitive process of selecting a course of action from among multiple alternatives.
• Ethical Dilemma: A situation in which there is a conflict between two moral imperatives and to obey one would result in transgressing the other.
• Moral Dilemma: A conflict in which you have to choose between two or more actions and have moral reasons for choosing each action.
• Prisoner's Dilemma: A standard example of a game analyzed in game theory that shows why two completely rational individuals might not cooperate, even if it appears that it is in their best interests to do so.

See Also

• Choice
• Decision Theory
• Game Theory
• Ethics

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Dilemma
• Wikipedia's article - Dilemma

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