Does the end justify the means?

Answer 1

Depends on the situation. I can't cover that with a blanket statement.

Answer 2

The nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki killed a lot of people. They also saved many lives due to the outcome. Was this means justified by the ending of the war in the Far East? A question like that must be weighed in individual cases. There is no blanket answer.

Answer 3

People only say this right before or right after they do something horrible. There may be an instance or two where the ends do justify the means but they are few and far between.

Answer 4

Oooh toughy- I think in some cases that's true but it's not a definite. Like in 1984 everyone worked together to keep society moving along productively but the means were unacceptable. but like when you have to shut down 1 store in the market to make it possible for the others to succeed then it does justify the means. It's all relative.

Answer 5

The end justifying the means is like the punchline to a joke. Without the beginning, you cannot arrive at this conclusion.

Answer 6

If the means are just...meaning not harmful...the end most likely justifies the means.

Answer 7

It depends on the end and the means. Generally this is used to rationalize doing the wrong thing for the wrong reasons to get a right result working in your favor - all without looking into alternate methods.

Answer 8

Never. To justfiy means to make right. The end never makes the means right. The means will be either right or wrong regardless of the end.

But in some cases the end may outweigh the means in the decision making process.

Answer 9

Depends on the end.

if someone steals my bike and to retrieve that bike I kill that person..then no. if someone kidnaps my child or someone I love..then there are no amount of bodies that could stop me from getting them back. to say "The ends justifies the means " is as static as the All Good and All Bad Theories that exist.

Answer 10

I would say as a rule of thumb it does not. Often times this will cause you to sink low to reach a higher goal. For example, the topic of torturing prisoners to get information. Sur ewe may save lives, but by barbarically torturing humans, we have become no differrent then those we fight against. A truly righteous person will strive to attain the desired results without throwing his moral sout the window.

Answer 11

Not always.

Assuming of course that you are asking "are all things permissible to achieve an end". Within allowable limits, the means are justifiable. Specifically, adhering to guidelines of beneficence and non-malfeasance. (ie, do no intentional harm)