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Politics : Foreign Affairs Discussion Group
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To: epicure who wrote (175009)11/16/2005 8:41:28 AM
From: Mary Cluney  Read Replies (1) of 281500
 
"Does the end justify the means for you?"

Even if there is an answer to that question, you can not answer it with just a simple yes or no.

I have to constantly remind myself that our civilization is only several thousand years old. It is amazing how far we have come in that short period of time (as compared to when the universe or this planet originated).

The languages, mathematics, and sciences that we have developed are in its infancy.

Having said all that, I would think that there is an answer to that question - only we are not able to get to it - just yet.

But, let me give you some examples:

Let's ask if we should go through a red light (violate a law) to save the earth from total destruction - would the end justify the means? That is obvious.

How about if you had to go through a red light and run over people in the way so that you can keep a promise to provide some child with candy at an appointed time? That is also obvious.

But between those extremes, there are all sorts of situations where it is not so clear.

What if the means require breaking more important laws?

For some people they believe that there are certain laws made by or implied by God that you cannot break.

There again, you can come up with scenarios where you could show that if you do not break one of God's laws you would be breaking some other God's law.

IMO if God exists, God would have an answer for every situation. I would think that God is a super mathematician. He has formulaes to calculate the greater good. Of course he would tell us what is right and what is wrong. But for everything there is a value and that it would go into an equation that comes up with the greater good.

Of course, we are not God. And, we do not have that equation to work with. But we are trying - we are trying to develope the tools that can give us those answers. But from what I can tell, we are from from being able to develop the proper tools we need to develop those answers.

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