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Salient: An Organ of Student Opinion at Victoria College, Wellington, N.Z. Vol. 12, No. 6, June 24th, 1949.

End Justifies Means

End Justifies Means

This section at least indirectly admits that the statement "the end justifies, the means" (incorrectly imputed to the Jesuits who, quoted in context, said something quite different) is dear to the communists heart—as of course it is and must be. But the conclusion "after all ends are means" is glib but dissatisfying.

An approximate end may be a means to a remote end. But any fool can see that ends and means are there used in differing senses. If the end is good but the means evil the choice of evil means cannot be justified. Absolute morality commands that one choose the lesser of two evils only If one must be chosen otherwise neither may be chosen.

Ends are means only when used in different senses. Presume ends are means. Let the end be the extermination of Cancer—a good end. Then if means are ends there can be no evil in killing off all those with Cancer. This idea may not be offensive to the Communist. How does it strike you?