https://issuepedia.org/mw/index.php?title=The_ends_justify_the_means&feed=atom&action=historyThe ends justify the means - Revision history2024-03-28T11:42:42ZRevision history for this page on the wikiMediaWiki 1.35.0https://issuepedia.org/mw/index.php?title=The_ends_justify_the_means&diff=25848&oldid=prevWoozle: Reverted edits by MBurrows38 (talk) to last revision by Woozle2011-09-28T20:51:58Z<p>Reverted edits by <a href="/Special:Contributions/MBurrows38" title="Special:Contributions/MBurrows38">MBurrows38</a> (<a href="/mw/index.php?title=User_talk:MBurrows38&action=edit&redlink=1" class="new" title="User talk:MBurrows38 (page does not exist)">talk</a>) to last revision by <a href="/User:Woozle" title="User:Woozle">Woozle</a></p>
<table class="diff diff-contentalign-left diff-editfont-monospace" data-mw="interface">
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 20:51, 28 September 2011</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l2" >Line 2:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 2:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Category:Sayings]]The phrase "[[the ends justify the means]]" (or "the end justifies the means") is an expression of either of two ideas:</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Category:Sayings]]The phrase "[[the ends justify the means]]" (or "the end justifies the means") is an expression of either of two ideas:</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div># [[bad|Morally wrong]] actions are sometimes necessary to achieve [[good|morally right]] outcomes.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div># [[bad|Morally wrong]] actions are sometimes necessary to achieve [[good|morally right]] outcomes.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div># Actions can ''only'' be considered morally [[right or wrong]] by virtue of the morality of the outcome &<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">amp;</del>ndash; in other words, it's okay to break the rules if the results are good (or, more crudely, "if you get away with it").</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div># Actions can ''only'' be considered morally [[right or wrong]] by virtue of the morality of the outcome &ndash; in other words, it's okay to break the rules if the results are good (or, more crudely, "if you get away with it").</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Analysis==</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Analysis==</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Many or most people would probably agree with the necessity of the first idea (e.g. stealing bread to feed a starving child) in certain cases, although this doesn't ''necessarily'' argue also that the morally wrong actions should therefore be unpunished.{{footnote|1}} The essential ingredient, in any case, is the idea that committing a morally wrong act in pursuit of a morally right outcome does not ''automatically'' negate the rightness of the act overall, although it may turn out that it does invalidate it anyway when carefully evaluated.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Many or most people would probably agree with the necessity of the first idea (e.g. stealing bread to feed a starving child) in certain cases, although this doesn't ''necessarily'' argue also that the morally wrong actions should therefore be unpunished.{{footnote|1}} The essential ingredient, in any case, is the idea that committing a morally wrong act in pursuit of a morally right outcome does not ''automatically'' negate the rightness of the act overall, although it may turn out that it does invalidate it anyway when carefully evaluated.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l8" >Line 8:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 8:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The second idea, however, when invoked in practice as justification for immoral acts, tends to require viewing the badness of the "means" in predominantly local terms, overlooking the harm done purely by the (perhaps small, but cumulative) erosion of the social inhibition against committing the immoral act (the "means"). (This is basically an instance of the [[slippery slope]] argument, but it seems valid in this case.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The second idea, however, when invoked in practice as justification for immoral acts, tends to require viewing the badness of the "means" in predominantly local terms, overlooking the harm done purely by the (perhaps small, but cumulative) erosion of the social inhibition against committing the immoral act (the "means"). (This is basically an instance of the [[slippery slope]] argument, but it seems valid in this case.)</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>In the "stealing bread to feed a starving child" example, it is easy to imagine that if the theft were not in some way adequately punished, there would be some gradual erosion of the social taboo against stealing. Perhaps the ''first'' person <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><span class="plainlinks">[http://www.thepiggybackrider.com/ <span style="color:black;font-weight:normal; text-decoration:none!important; background:none!important; text-decoration:none;/*CITATION*/">kid carrier</span>]</span> </del>who steals bread to feed their starving child waited until the very last possible moment &<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">amp;</del>ndash; the child will die within the hour if not fed, and there are simply no other options &<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">amp;</del>ndash; and steals only from a source which is known to have an adequate supply of bread. However, perhaps the next person who is tempted to steal bread for their starving (or merely very hungry?) children in her/his decisionmaking, having seen that the first one "got away with it".</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>In the "stealing bread to feed a starving child" example, it is easy to imagine that if the theft were not in some way adequately punished, there would be some gradual erosion of the social taboo against stealing. Perhaps the ''first'' person who steals bread to feed their starving child waited until the very last possible moment &ndash; the child will die within the hour if not fed, and there are simply no other options &ndash; and steals only from a source which is known to have an adequate supply of bread. However, perhaps the next person who is tempted to steal bread for their starving (or merely very hungry?) children <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[slippery slope|isn't so meticulous]] </ins>in her/his decisionmaking, having seen that the first one "got away with it".</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>If the evaluation of the outcome ''includes'' an evaluation of ''the harm done merely by breaking the rules'' (as a part of whatever immoral acts were included in the "means"), evaluation of morality purely in terms of outcome becomes much more congruent with many more traditional [[moral absolutism|absolutist]] views of morality &<del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">amp;</del>ndash; although the two philosophies still arrive at different answers in certain areas.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>If the evaluation of the outcome ''includes'' an evaluation of ''the harm done merely by breaking the rules'' (as a part of whatever immoral acts were included in the "means"), evaluation of morality purely in terms of outcome becomes much more congruent with many more traditional [[moral absolutism|absolutist]] views of morality &ndash; although the two philosophies still arrive at different answers in certain areas.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===Footnotes===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===Footnotes===</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>====Note 1====</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>====Note 1====</div></td></tr>
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</table>Woozlehttps://issuepedia.org/mw/index.php?title=The_ends_justify_the_means&diff=25830&oldid=prevMBurrows38: None2011-09-26T15:07:15Z<p>None</p>
<table class="diff diff-contentalign-left diff-editfont-monospace" data-mw="interface">
<col class="diff-marker" />
<col class="diff-content" />
<col class="diff-marker" />
<col class="diff-content" />
<tr class="diff-title" lang="en">
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 15:07, 26 September 2011</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l2" >Line 2:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 2:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Category:Sayings]]The phrase "[[the ends justify the means]]" (or "the end justifies the means") is an expression of either of two ideas:</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>[[Category:Sayings]]The phrase "[[the ends justify the means]]" (or "the end justifies the means") is an expression of either of two ideas:</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div># [[bad|Morally wrong]] actions are sometimes necessary to achieve [[good|morally right]] outcomes.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div># [[bad|Morally wrong]] actions are sometimes necessary to achieve [[good|morally right]] outcomes.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div># Actions can ''only'' be considered morally [[right or wrong]] by virtue of the morality of the outcome &ndash; in other words, it's okay to break the rules if the results are good (or, more crudely, "if you get away with it").</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div># Actions can ''only'' be considered morally [[right or wrong]] by virtue of the morality of the outcome &<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">amp;</ins>ndash; in other words, it's okay to break the rules if the results are good (or, more crudely, "if you get away with it").</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Analysis==</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Analysis==</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Many or most people would probably agree with the necessity of the first idea (e.g. stealing bread to feed a starving child) in certain cases, although this doesn't ''necessarily'' argue also that the morally wrong actions should therefore be unpunished.{{footnote|1}} The essential ingredient, in any case, is the idea that committing a morally wrong act in pursuit of a morally right outcome does not ''automatically'' negate the rightness of the act overall, although it may turn out that it does invalidate it anyway when carefully evaluated.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>Many or most people would probably agree with the necessity of the first idea (e.g. stealing bread to feed a starving child) in certain cases, although this doesn't ''necessarily'' argue also that the morally wrong actions should therefore be unpunished.{{footnote|1}} The essential ingredient, in any case, is the idea that committing a morally wrong act in pursuit of a morally right outcome does not ''automatically'' negate the rightness of the act overall, although it may turn out that it does invalidate it anyway when carefully evaluated.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l8" >Line 8:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 8:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The second idea, however, when invoked in practice as justification for immoral acts, tends to require viewing the badness of the "means" in predominantly local terms, overlooking the harm done purely by the (perhaps small, but cumulative) erosion of the social inhibition against committing the immoral act (the "means"). (This is basically an instance of the [[slippery slope]] argument, but it seems valid in this case.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The second idea, however, when invoked in practice as justification for immoral acts, tends to require viewing the badness of the "means" in predominantly local terms, overlooking the harm done purely by the (perhaps small, but cumulative) erosion of the social inhibition against committing the immoral act (the "means"). (This is basically an instance of the [[slippery slope]] argument, but it seems valid in this case.)</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>In the "stealing bread to feed a starving child" example, it is easy to imagine that if the theft were not in some way adequately punished, there would be some gradual erosion of the social taboo against stealing. Perhaps the ''first'' person who steals bread to feed their starving child waited until the very last possible moment &ndash; the child will die within the hour if not fed, and there are simply no other options &ndash; and steals only from a source which is known to have an adequate supply of bread. However, perhaps the next person who is tempted to steal bread for their starving (or merely very hungry?) children <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[slippery slope|isn't so meticulous]] </del>in her/his decisionmaking, having seen that the first one "got away with it".</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>In the "stealing bread to feed a starving child" example, it is easy to imagine that if the theft were not in some way adequately punished, there would be some gradual erosion of the social taboo against stealing. Perhaps the ''first'' person <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline"><span class="plainlinks">[http://www.thepiggybackrider.com/ <span style="color:black;font-weight:normal; text-decoration:none!important; background:none!important; text-decoration:none;/*CITATION*/">kid carrier</span>]</span> </ins>who steals bread to feed their starving child waited until the very last possible moment &<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">amp;</ins>ndash; the child will die within the hour if not fed, and there are simply no other options &<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">amp;</ins>ndash; and steals only from a source which is known to have an adequate supply of bread. However, perhaps the next person who is tempted to steal bread for their starving (or merely very hungry?) children in her/his decisionmaking, having seen that the first one "got away with it".</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>If the evaluation of the outcome ''includes'' an evaluation of ''the harm done merely by breaking the rules'' (as a part of whatever immoral acts were included in the "means"), evaluation of morality purely in terms of outcome becomes much more congruent with many more traditional [[moral absolutism|absolutist]] views of morality &ndash; although the two philosophies still arrive at different answers in certain areas.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>If the evaluation of the outcome ''includes'' an evaluation of ''the harm done merely by breaking the rules'' (as a part of whatever immoral acts were included in the "means"), evaluation of morality purely in terms of outcome becomes much more congruent with many more traditional [[moral absolutism|absolutist]] views of morality &<ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">amp;</ins>ndash; although the two philosophies still arrive at different answers in certain areas.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===Footnotes===</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>===Footnotes===</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>====Note 1====</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>====Note 1====</div></td></tr>
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</table>MBurrows38https://issuepedia.org/mw/index.php?title=The_ends_justify_the_means&diff=8421&oldid=prevWoozle: /* Analysis */ tweak - link to "slippery slope"2007-10-18T22:26:53Z<p><span dir="auto"><span class="autocomment">Analysis: </span> tweak - link to "slippery slope"</span></p>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">← Older revision</td>
<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 22:26, 18 October 2007</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l8" >Line 8:</td>
<td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno">Line 8:</td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The second idea, however, when invoked in practice as justification for immoral acts, tends to require viewing the badness of the "means" in predominantly local terms, overlooking the harm done purely by the (perhaps small, but cumulative) erosion of the social inhibition against committing the immoral act (the "means"). (This is basically an instance of the [[slippery slope]] argument, but it seems valid in this case.)</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>The second idea, however, when invoked in practice as justification for immoral acts, tends to require viewing the badness of the "means" in predominantly local terms, overlooking the harm done purely by the (perhaps small, but cumulative) erosion of the social inhibition against committing the immoral act (the "means"). (This is basically an instance of the [[slippery slope]] argument, but it seems valid in this case.)</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'>−</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #ffe49c; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>In the "stealing bread to feed a starving child" example, it is easy to imagine that if the theft were not in some way adequately punished, there would be some gradual erosion of the social taboo against stealing. Perhaps the ''first'' person who steals bread to feed their starving child waited until the very last possible moment &ndash; the child will die within the hour if not fed, and there are simply no other options &ndash; and steals only from a source which is known to have an adequate supply of bread. However, perhaps the next person who is tempted to steal bread for their starving (or merely very hungry?) children isn't so <del class="diffchange diffchange-inline">careful</del>, having seen that the first one "got away with it".</div></td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>In the "stealing bread to feed a starving child" example, it is easy to imagine that if the theft were not in some way adequately punished, there would be some gradual erosion of the social taboo against stealing. Perhaps the ''first'' person who steals bread to feed their starving child waited until the very last possible moment &ndash; the child will die within the hour if not fed, and there are simply no other options &ndash; and steals only from a source which is known to have an adequate supply of bread. However, perhaps the next person who is tempted to steal bread for their starving (or merely very hungry?) children <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">[[slippery slope|</ins>isn't so <ins class="diffchange diffchange-inline">meticulous]] in her/his decisionmaking</ins>, having seen that the first one "got away with it".</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>If the evaluation of the outcome ''includes'' an evaluation of ''the harm done merely by breaking the rules'' (as a part of whatever immoral acts were included in the "means"), evaluation of morality purely in terms of outcome becomes much more congruent with many more traditional [[moral absolutism|absolutist]] views of morality &ndash; although the two philosophies still arrive at different answers in certain areas.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>If the evaluation of the outcome ''includes'' an evaluation of ''the harm done merely by breaking the rules'' (as a part of whatever immoral acts were included in the "means"), evaluation of morality purely in terms of outcome becomes much more congruent with many more traditional [[moral absolutism|absolutist]] views of morality &ndash; although the two philosophies still arrive at different answers in certain areas.</div></td></tr>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>====Note 1====</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>====Note 1====</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>It may be that the best way to evaluate such things would be to apply the same ethical standards to both the "means" and the "end", and somehow subtract the "punishment" from the "reward" in order to arrive at a reasonable net compensation to the individual performing the act... or perhaps the individual should be subject to both the standard punishment ''and'' standard reward... though if the punishment is sufficiently harsh as to deprive the perpetrator of any enjoyment of the reward, it may be necessary to re-evaluate both, in order to decide if the net effect upon the perpetrator seems appropriate to the net results caused by them.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>It may be that the best way to evaluate such things would be to apply the same ethical standards to both the "means" and the "end", and somehow subtract the "punishment" from the "reward" in order to arrive at a reasonable net compensation to the individual performing the act... or perhaps the individual should be subject to both the standard punishment ''and'' standard reward... though if the punishment is sufficiently harsh as to deprive the perpetrator of any enjoyment of the reward, it may be necessary to re-evaluate both, in order to decide if the net effect upon the perpetrator seems appropriate to the net results caused by them.</div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;"></ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Reference==</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Reference==</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* {{wikipedia|The ends justify the means}}</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* {{wikipedia|The ends justify the means}}</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Notes==</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Notes==</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* [[Moral absolutists]] sometimes claim that [[moral consequentialism]], which states that an act's [[morality]] depends solely on the consequences of that act, is equivalent to saying that [[the ends justify the means]]; however, a belief that a set of ends are absolutely justified because of their absolute moral correctness can also lead to a belief that those ends justify committing acts of lesser moral wrongness, i.e. the end justifying the means.</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* [[Moral absolutists]] sometimes claim that [[moral consequentialism]], which states that an act's [[morality]] depends solely on the consequences of that act, is equivalent to saying that [[the ends justify the means]]; however, a belief that a set of ends are absolutely justified because of their absolute moral correctness can also lead to a belief that those ends justify committing acts of lesser moral wrongness, i.e. the end justifying the means.</div></td></tr>
</table>Woozlehttps://issuepedia.org/mw/index.php?title=The_ends_justify_the_means&diff=4118&oldid=prevWoozle: /* Reference */ note about ends/means versus moral isms2006-10-09T15:30:12Z<p><span dir="auto"><span class="autocomment">Reference: </span> note about ends/means versus moral isms</span></p>
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<td colspan="2" style="background-color: #fff; color: #202122; text-align: center;">Revision as of 15:30, 9 October 2006</td>
</tr><tr><td colspan="2" class="diff-lineno" id="mw-diff-left-l16" >Line 16:</td>
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<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Reference==</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>==Reference==</div></td></tr>
<tr><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* {{wikipedia|The ends justify the means}}</div></td><td class='diff-marker'> </td><td style="background-color: #f8f9fa; color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #eaecf0; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div>* {{wikipedia|The ends justify the means}}</div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">==Notes==</ins></div></td></tr>
<tr><td colspan="2"> </td><td class='diff-marker'>+</td><td style="color: #202122; font-size: 88%; border-style: solid; border-width: 1px 1px 1px 4px; border-radius: 0.33em; border-color: #a3d3ff; vertical-align: top; white-space: pre-wrap;"><div><ins style="font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none;">* [[Moral absolutists]] sometimes claim that [[moral consequentialism]], which states that an act's [[morality]] depends solely on the consequences of that act, is equivalent to saying that [[the ends justify the means]]; however, a belief that a set of ends are absolutely justified because of their absolute moral correctness can also lead to a belief that those ends justify committing acts of lesser moral wrongness, i.e. the end justifying the means.</ins></div></td></tr>
</table>Woozlehttps://issuepedia.org/mw/index.php?title=The_ends_justify_the_means&diff=3495&oldid=prevWoozle at 01:29, 17 August 20062006-08-17T01:29:05Z<p></p>
<p><b>New page</b></p><div>==Overview==<br />
[[Category:Sayings]]The phrase "[[the ends justify the means]]" (or "the end justifies the means") is an expression of either of two ideas:<br />
# [[bad|Morally wrong]] actions are sometimes necessary to achieve [[good|morally right]] outcomes.<br />
# Actions can ''only'' be considered morally [[right or wrong]] by virtue of the morality of the outcome &ndash; in other words, it's okay to break the rules if the results are good (or, more crudely, "if you get away with it").<br />
==Analysis==<br />
Many or most people would probably agree with the necessity of the first idea (e.g. stealing bread to feed a starving child) in certain cases, although this doesn't ''necessarily'' argue also that the morally wrong actions should therefore be unpunished.{{footnote|1}} The essential ingredient, in any case, is the idea that committing a morally wrong act in pursuit of a morally right outcome does not ''automatically'' negate the rightness of the act overall, although it may turn out that it does invalidate it anyway when carefully evaluated.<br />
<br />
The second idea, however, when invoked in practice as justification for immoral acts, tends to require viewing the badness of the "means" in predominantly local terms, overlooking the harm done purely by the (perhaps small, but cumulative) erosion of the social inhibition against committing the immoral act (the "means"). (This is basically an instance of the [[slippery slope]] argument, but it seems valid in this case.)<br />
<br />
In the "stealing bread to feed a starving child" example, it is easy to imagine that if the theft were not in some way adequately punished, there would be some gradual erosion of the social taboo against stealing. Perhaps the ''first'' person who steals bread to feed their starving child waited until the very last possible moment &ndash; the child will die within the hour if not fed, and there are simply no other options &ndash; and steals only from a source which is known to have an adequate supply of bread. However, perhaps the next person who is tempted to steal bread for their starving (or merely very hungry?) children isn't so careful, having seen that the first one "got away with it".<br />
<br />
If the evaluation of the outcome ''includes'' an evaluation of ''the harm done merely by breaking the rules'' (as a part of whatever immoral acts were included in the "means"), evaluation of morality purely in terms of outcome becomes much more congruent with many more traditional [[moral absolutism|absolutist]] views of morality &ndash; although the two philosophies still arrive at different answers in certain areas.<br />
===Footnotes===<br />
====Note 1====<br />
It may be that the best way to evaluate such things would be to apply the same ethical standards to both the "means" and the "end", and somehow subtract the "punishment" from the "reward" in order to arrive at a reasonable net compensation to the individual performing the act... or perhaps the individual should be subject to both the standard punishment ''and'' standard reward... though if the punishment is sufficiently harsh as to deprive the perpetrator of any enjoyment of the reward, it may be necessary to re-evaluate both, in order to decide if the net effect upon the perpetrator seems appropriate to the net results caused by them.<br />
==Reference==<br />
* {{wikipedia|The ends justify the means}}</div>Woozle