What Philosophy Is

Torture and "Dirty Hands"

As you read the material for the next class, keep the questions below in mind. To answer these questions you will have to reflect critically on what you have read and possibly re-read important passages. Keep in mind that there are two basic kinds of information that you need to look for in the readings.

1. What are the main points or conclusions that an author accepts with respect to a particular issue?
2. What are the reasons or important considerations that lead the author to accept that conclusion?

For our purposes, it is information of the latter sort (2) that will be our primary concern since our most basic task is to evaluate the reasons that are offered to support accepting one possible conclusion about an issue, rather than another.

Although I strongly suggest that you write out brief answers to these questions, you do not have to turn in written responses. You do, however, need to be prepared to speak intelligently to these issues in the next class meeting. Also, it is reasonable to assume that the final exam’s questions will be drawn from these questions—particularly those in bold.

Readings:

• Michael Walzer, “Political Action: The Problem of Dirty Hands” (handout).

Questions:

1. Michael Walzer claims that “no one succeeds in politics without getting his hands dirty”. Why? What is the “moral dilemma inherent in [this] contention”? What are the two examples he gives and how do they illustrate the dilemma of dirty hands?
2. Does utilitarianism recognize the dilemma of dirty hands? Why or why not?
3. Walzer presents three ways of thinking about dirty hands. What are these? In what ways does he think they are correct and in what way does he think they err? Ultimately, what is Walzer’s final position on the issue? Is torture ever permissible? Are you inclined to agree with this? Why or why not?

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