What does the end justifies the means mean?

Answer 1

* These answers represent basically the same meaning from several perspectives.

Answer

This phrase, originating from Niccolo Machiavelli's book "The Prince", is interpreted by some to mean doing anything whatsoever that is required to get the result you want, regardless of the methods used. It does not matter whether these methods are legal or illegal, fair or foul, kind or cruel, truth or lies, democratic or dictatorial, good or evil.

Answer 2

The phrase the end justifies the means refers to the morality of an action. It means that the morality of an action is based solely on the outcome of that action and not on the action itself. Example: Telling a lie that has no negative effect on anyone, and saves someone grief, is good. Killing someone to save others may also be morally justifiable.

A deontologist would say lying/killing is always bad. A consequentialist would say that it is acceptable if the outcome is positive. It can involve illegal activities and what some would consider immoral methods, but definitely is not based on that.

Answer 3

This refers to the idea that if you need a specific outcome, it doesn't matter how it is achieved as long as you get the desired result. For instance, if you need to pass a test in order to graduate (the end) you can justify cheating in order to pass the test (the means).

Answer 4

This is normally used to comment on the ethics or morality of a given action. By itself, it might be reprehensible. But as the only method to achieve a goal, it could be acceptable on a practical basis. A simple example would be knocking down historic buildings as a last resort to control rat populations. A more complex example would be World War II, which included bombing German and Japanese cities to reduce their munitions production.

Answer 5

It means that the benefits from something outweigh the harm done by the process. For example if somebody cured cancer, but had to kill 1 cancer patient to find the cure, they might say that curing cancer made the loss of 1 life to save many worth it. Of course, the family of the dead patient (and the legal authorities) might see the matter differently.

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Answer 2

Yes and No...

Viewpoint 1

Subjective morality

Ask yourself -

• What would of happened if the means hadn't taken place?
• Additional consequences of the means/end
• How would the answers to the above questions affected you/society (depending if you are egotistical or a utilitarian)

Viewpoint 2

Objective morality

• Look at the rules of morality - ie murder is always wrong

Example

A woman is being raped

You can stop this happening by killing the man

Do you stop this from happening?

Objective morality

What would of happened if the means hadn't take place?

• She would of been raped

• The child goes to university, becomes the leader of the world and eradicates poverty

• The rapist is happy

Additional consequences of the means/end

• The rapists family becomes depressed - his wife shoots herself and the kids end up in care
• You get a Medal from the police department

IF we could predict the future weighing up the consequences we clearly see that letting the woman get raped is the better option

But we only know that - the woman will be raped an the rapist will enjoy it - most people would say that it is "OK" to kill in those circumstances

Subjective morality

Was it a choice between a greater or a lesser evil forced upon you by the actions of others?

• Yes, and the greater evil was chosen

therefore u should of passed by

Answer 3

"The end justifies the means" implies that the goal is more important than the way by which it is achieved.

The term goes to morality. It usually implies that a moral goal may be achieved by amoral means (example: alleviating a famine by killing people to reduce the population). People of good moral upbringing usually do not accept such a thought process, believing that amoral means renders the goal amoral as well.

Other idioms that deal with this idea include idioms relating to the hands (soiled or bloodied hands) and the idiom of "a deal with the devil".

Answer 4

The correct idiom is "The end justifies the means", but the statement is inherently untrue; evil methods can never be justified no matter how noble the motive.

Answer 5

The philosophy which teaches that the "ends justify the means" is Machiavellian philosophy.

Answer 6

I seem to recall this was a line from "Das Kapital" by Karl Marx.

Answer 7

The end is simply one of those cases that is vital and you will necessitate trained assistance about

Answer 8

Mahatma Gandhi