Read the rest of my post. Its not just about future and past contexts. It is about subjective moral contexts that might disagree about what is good and what is bad. If what is good or bad is subjective, then what does it mean to say there are good or bad means and ends?Your point about my post is true, however, the point I was making was just that situations need future context, as I assumed but did not write that past context is readily available, nor did I think very much of it. Thank you for pointing that out. ( I also assumed I was not a murder or rapist, which I am in fact not either of those) — Lawrence of Arabia
The 'ends' are all the consequences to all people over both the short term and the long term as a result of the action taken. — A Seagull
Realistically, there usually are unintended consequences/results. — Pantagruel
is said only because, sometimes, we have to do what is clearly bad in other situations but necessary to achieve what is clearly good in another situation. I think the trolley problem gets to the heart of this issue but with no clear answer except a vague understanding on our intuitions.The ends justify the means. — Lawrence of Arabia
What function does blame achieve when it come to result or consequence? — Spirit12
As for responsibility how much accounting is there for individual or contributive control of consequences? — Spirit12
Not all ends justify any means. Some ends justify certain means. No end is so noble as to justify any means possible. — Noah Te Stroete
-Actions are considered good or evil (right or wrong) based on their goal which is being accomplished by the consequences of that particular action.
-If the goal being accomplished is good then something is considered right.
- As I stated earlier, we need context to judge an action.
-That context is a goal, which shows why someone did something.
-Therefore, we measure actions based on the goal being accomplished.
-The ends justify the means. — Lawrence of Arabia
I don't accept "ends justify means" arguments in ethics. Means and ends must be adjusted to one another so that the latter is not undermined or invalidated by the former while the former is calibrated to enact the latter. A version of reflective equilibrium. — 180 Proof
Well, that would be merely a practical consideration. Obviously, destroying your goal in the quest for that goal would be a rather imprudent strategy regardless of its moral content.Is there any end in the world that would justify any means however horrible?
— Congau
No. Not without undermining its end (i.e. 'destroy the X to save the X' — 180 Proof
My position can be illustrated with an example. Suppose a nation was deeply divided at the point or almost to the point of a civil war. Suppose the end goal is to unify the country, a very good goal. Then suppose the ruler of this country decided the quickest and easiest way to unify the country was to vilify a minority group, convincing the populace that ridding the country of this minority would solve nearly all of their problems. The country unified and exterminates the vilified minority. Let’s even say that afterwards there were decades of peace.
Not even then do I agree that the ends justifies the means. — Noah Te Stroete
However, some ends can be brought about by many different means, provided the means aren’t exactly evil. — Noah Te Stroete
Also, if killing myself brought about world peace, then I would line up in front of the firing squad tomorrow. — Noah Te Stroete
in reality I fail to see how this would bring about world peace. — Noah Te Stroete
My example about exterminating a minority, unfortunately, is all too common a situation in the history of humanity. Except, of course, peace never followed and the intended ends were never realized. Much like almost anything in the politics of a nation. the ends are almost never realized. — Noah Te Stroete
Get involved in philosophical discussions about knowledge, truth, language, consciousness, science, politics, religion, logic and mathematics, art, history, and lots more. No ads, no clutter, and very little agreement — just fascinating conversations.