Most atrocities and abuses have been justified by the common saying, "The ends justify the means." Ironically, the application of this philosophy actually undermines the ends and typically is used to support the use of force/deception (I see no difference between the two, except minor details in the traditional definitions).
The ends define the means. The end of a happy society consists of policies which allow individuals to discover and pursue their own interests. The end of justice consists of policies which respect individual sovereignty and freedom. The end of efficiency entails the elimination of excess entropy (waste) by establishing energetic environments which honor the strengths and weaknesses of each. In other words, accept reality peacefully and align your nature with its nature.
Subsidies are means to creating dependencies as their ends. Policies of control yield an audience unaccustomed to freedom, independence, and sovereign respect, thus fighting the very nature of the human soul.
The end of parental respect requires that parents act in respectful ways. The end of developing children into mature adults requires the bestowal of responsibilities and support, and a strict refrain from "spoiling" them (i.e. giving them what they want when they want it simply because they want it), though it is completely acceptable (to the end of maturity) for the subject to be allowed to enjoy policies which develop maturity.
The end of a strong family requires the increase love and respect between all members, which is quickly undermined by physical and verbal abuse. What we call "respect" due to physical or verbal punishment is actually fear and unrelated to my idea of respect. This fear is nothing like the admiration, value, and even love intrinsic with my definition of respect.
The end of a strong economy is advanced by productivity and efficiency and freedom. These require equality/impartiality, and simplicity of the governing laws of the land, to name a few. A complex tax code (as enforced by the wasteful and intrusive IRS) giving preferential treatment (i.e. subsidies) to some groups over other groups will make an inefficient, biased system in which people will not work as productively or with as much motivation. A simple, flat, transpare sales tax like the FairTax motivates productivity, efficiency, and freedom in its fairness (equality) and in its simple efficiency.
The end of earning money is purchasing desired products and services. The end of wealth is earning the money efficiently and spending it productively.
ReplyDeleteWhile the end is usually used to justify the means, my line of thinking is that every end may be achieved best by only a few means, and that any attempt to pursue other means will fail to achieve the end upon which it was justified.
So in response to Nitsche, I say "What is good that it can be justified by anything?" and "What justification exists for war beyond the need to kill one's mortal enemies, being those who desire the destruction of either you or your freedoms?" The agendas of murder, theft, or destruction are also ends, and force, leading to war, should be the means required to accomplish this end. Thus war is the means for both good and bad, the ends defining the morality of and being defined by the means.
Andy,
ReplyDeleteCame across your entry when I searched for "ends do not justify means" on the 'net. I've shared your post on facebook.
Excellent post, very much in line with my thoughts. Do you have a facebook presence? I'd like to connect with you.
Dawn Del Guercio, Concerned citizen in NJ